<story><title>Despite High Hopes, Self-Driving Cars Are ‘Way in the Future’</title><url>https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/17/business/self-driving-autonomous-cars.html</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>hateful</author><text>I think it would happen this way: firstly you would automate things that go on a track - like trains - which I think we already have. Then secondly you could have certain lanes or roads that are designed for specific self-driving vehicles. This could help buses and trucks (in certain areas) get around. Then you would keep adding more of those, until many roads have those and very few manual lanes. It wouldn&amp;#x27;t immediately work in a big established city, but some existing highways or interstates can be fitted easily. Anywhere that has an HOV&amp;#x2F;Carpool&amp;#x2F;EV lane can be refitted to be an automated driving lane. Think of it like the Cash Only vs. Easy Pass toll lanes. At first there was 1-2 Easy Pass lanes, then the cash lane was just 1-2 - now we automate them reading license plates.&lt;p&gt;So to sum up, I think that the self driving will start in very specific areas, and then those specific areas would be expanded until they are the only areas. Especially if those roads contain automated taxi (Uber, Lyft, etc) which you can call with your mobile device. The main reason a lot of people drive is because public transportation in their area is junk and you have to go by it&amp;#x27;s schedule and route. But having a point-point self-driving option is way more convenient. It&amp;#x27;s like the subway, but it doesn&amp;#x27;t need tracks.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>AtlasBarfed</author><text>Seriously, please automate highway driving first. You get all the benefits for shipping and efficiency and logistics, so the money is there. The problem is so much more simple, and there can be convergent infrastructure (embedded sensors, mesh network updates, higher standards of road quality).&lt;p&gt;On long trips on highways it just kills me that I have to stare at the same image for hours basically, and that a program couldn&amp;#x27;t do that more safely than me.&lt;p&gt;And if this happens, the airlines and all their fees and cramping and security and bad customer service can be brutally competed against for any trip under 800 miles, and probably longer.&lt;p&gt;Even a one hour 500 mile trip in a plane is really 3-4 hours, and you don&amp;#x27;t get a car at your destination, while driving there is about 5-6 hours. If I could surf that whole time or nap, then I&amp;#x27;ll drive.&lt;p&gt;If I can sleep overnight, then 8-10 hour drives become far preferable to flying.&lt;p&gt;If I have friends along the way to visit, or interesting places to vacation in, two or three day trips are more preferable than 1500-2000 mile flights, especially if you have a family and it is way way way cheaper.&lt;p&gt;Airlines have been reorienting themselves to shorter hops over the last couple decades. Self driving on highways will decimate that business, and only long haul&amp;#x2F;overseas will remain.</text></comment>
<story><title>Despite High Hopes, Self-Driving Cars Are ‘Way in the Future’</title><url>https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/17/business/self-driving-autonomous-cars.html</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>hateful</author><text>I think it would happen this way: firstly you would automate things that go on a track - like trains - which I think we already have. Then secondly you could have certain lanes or roads that are designed for specific self-driving vehicles. This could help buses and trucks (in certain areas) get around. Then you would keep adding more of those, until many roads have those and very few manual lanes. It wouldn&amp;#x27;t immediately work in a big established city, but some existing highways or interstates can be fitted easily. Anywhere that has an HOV&amp;#x2F;Carpool&amp;#x2F;EV lane can be refitted to be an automated driving lane. Think of it like the Cash Only vs. Easy Pass toll lanes. At first there was 1-2 Easy Pass lanes, then the cash lane was just 1-2 - now we automate them reading license plates.&lt;p&gt;So to sum up, I think that the self driving will start in very specific areas, and then those specific areas would be expanded until they are the only areas. Especially if those roads contain automated taxi (Uber, Lyft, etc) which you can call with your mobile device. The main reason a lot of people drive is because public transportation in their area is junk and you have to go by it&amp;#x27;s schedule and route. But having a point-point self-driving option is way more convenient. It&amp;#x27;s like the subway, but it doesn&amp;#x27;t need tracks.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>mikestew</author><text>I think your prediction will turn out to be as closer or closer than any other. Certainly more on the money than the breathless “won’t be a problem in a few years when self-driving...”&lt;p&gt;But as I read your probably-on-the-money prediction, I was thinking “here we go again, dumping money for the two-ton wheelchairs while alternative transportation goes begging again.” Where’s my fucking barrier-protected bike lane? Or any bike lane at all?&lt;p&gt;Frankly, if that’s how it goes, I wonder if it happens at all. “Separate lanes for wealthy tech workers” is how that’s going to go. You know why we can’t even get bike lanes? Because people bitch and moan because they don’t personally use it. Expand that to an empty lane of moving traffic while the plebs sit in traffic.</text></comment>