Automated Cars

[GrySql]

Toyota is planning to offer self-driving cars to the public by 2020.

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http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2015/10/toyota-aims-to-offer-self-driving-cars-by-2020.html

[machoman1337]

The Google cars that were involved in accidents were never at fault in any of them. Self driving cars are long overdue - there is no evidence that they are more dangerous than human drivers, and in fact all evidence points to the contrary. Some people argue that in case a jaywalker runs out in front, a self-driving car may just splatter him, but really, that sure beats a panicking human driver swerving into a lamp post (risking his own life AND causing property damage) or causing a pileup that risks other peoples' lives.

 

I hope self driving cars eventually become mandatory. Enthusiasts who love manual control can be appeased by being allowed behind the wheel at off-peak hours, with stringent laws that revoke this privilege (and jack up insurance premiums) if they cause any accidents.

 

Best of all, self driving cars would cause many crooked insurers to go out of business due to a sharp drop in accident claims :)

[GrySql]

The Google cars that were involved in accidents were never at fault in any of them.

More about that:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/self-driving-cars-google-mercedes-benz-60-minutes/

Edited October 8, 2015 by GrySql

[Waldo]

Eventually I see a world where Uber and automated cars combine to eliminate car ownership for 90% of the population. I know I spend about 15% of my disposable income on cars and related expenses. If I could take a automated car service instead it would probably drop down to around 5% and I'd have all that extra cash to spend on something else.

 

The consequences to the industry would be enormous. You'd probably only produce about 25% as many vehicles and there would be very little brand differentiation you could use to gain any advantage over the competition.

[CCalvinN]

Eventually I see a world where Uber and automated cars combine to eliminate car ownership for 90% of the population. I know I spend about 15% of my disposable income on cars and related expenses. If I could take a automated car service instead it would probably drop down to around 5% and I'd have all that extra cash to spend on something else.

 

The consequences to the industry would be enormous. You'd probably only produce about 25% as many vehicles and there would be very little brand differentiation you could use to gain any advantage over the competition.

 

I could see something like that happening in large urban areas, but I'm not sure about "90% of the population". At least not for several generations. Right now I think cars are to much part of an individuals identities especially in suburban and rural areas. Just like we flock together to celebrate our hybrid fusion ownership, people flock together to celebrate their truck or sports car or luxury car ownership. People that want/need a truck wouldn't be satisfied if they get a family sedan. People that want/need a luxury car aren't going to be satisfied if they get a cheap subcompact.

 

Plus having a more communal car experience would be one less 'place' for people to call their own. I know my cars are always filled with various things that I wouldn't want to carry between car trips. My iPod, a pack of mints, several pens, a spare lighter, my nurses kit, a spare set of clothes, an extra blanket, a book, various work papers... the 'home' for these things are in my car. I personally wouldn't want to give that up. But again, that's because my life easily accomodates a car. My home came with a garage, everywhere I go has free parking, the roads aren't overly congested. When I lived in Chicago it was a different story as I had to park on the street, pay for parking everywhere I went, and the roads were horribly congested. It would have been a fair sacrifice to give up that personalized personal space and gain the freedom of not managing traffic and never worrying about parking.

[Waldo]

The next generation of millionaires will be the ones that find solutions to those concerns...