As the days pass by, we all come across news headlines under the 'tech' section that says "Autonomous vehicles on the rise" or "Soon you won't need a driver for your car". This makes us jump excitingly from our cozy seats and ponder "Is this really true?" Indeed it is. We all enjoy envisioning the "new-age living" through metamorphosing technology.
Referencing The New York Times, the potential is huge! In all practicality, self-driven cars are already on-the-go. They're prototypes right now, but will soon be available on the consumer market. A lot of self-reinforcing promises revolve around the idea of how our society might change with the emergence of such transportation evolutions.
On a pragmatic note, this sure would make the entire process of journey more efficient and hassle-free, irrespective of the fuel-type or the number of kilometers you need to drive across. Observing people driving through the subway with their phone screens glimmering upon their busy faces, one may easily remind themselves that disruptive technology indeed has a long history of breaking promises and surprising pundits with certain involuntary consequences.
As Stuff NZ points out efficiency in personal transportation assets would reduce the number of vehicles going from point A to point B. Meanwhile give rise to optimized silicon-brained chauffeurs knowledgeable on how to politely overtake other vehicles, using as little energy as possible in the process. The belief that personal cars are at risk of substitution is becoming very common day by day. Let's hope that one day we come across a self-driven and ride-sharing minivan masquerading as public transit automated systems.
A taxi actually costs more but more direct and comfortable. A bus is cheaper but slower, while a car more expensive and difficult to park. In this entire spectrum, there's a satisfying order behind it all. Autonomous driving and ride sharing is just the right equilibrium to reach. It's cheaper and more comfortable than the traditional subway.
A taxi is more expensive, but offers more comfort whereas a car is expensive and difficult to park. In between all of this, there exists an equilibrium. Ride-sharing and autonomous driving will naturally disrupt the consumer cart of transportation choices available in big cities. Imagine if this kind of service were cheaper than the subway, why would anyone want to take the subway. At least I wouldn't hesitate to order an automated set-of-wheels at the touch of a button. It's just too convenient, you can't help but agree!
