5 ms·

I wonder how autonomous driving will affect shorter flight commutes. I'll probably never take a car from Philadelphia to LA, but I might prefer to travel by car

I wonder how autonomous driving will affect shorter flight commutes. I'll probably never take a car from Philadelphia to LA, but I might prefer to travel by car from Philadelphia to Chicago if I know that I can sleep throughout the car ride (as well as leave whenever is most convenient). When you take into account driving to the airport, checking bags, security, flight delays, baggage claim, and rental cars/driving to your hotel, a 12 hour drive doesn't look nearly as bad, especially when you could leave at 10 PM and wake up at 10 AM arriving at your destination. And it's way less stress compared to the hassle of TSA and flights.

goda90 10y ago
Seat width, leg room, baggage limits, noise levels, air temperature, Internet connectivity(cell data vs airplane wifi) and the fact that you're exposed to numerous strangers at risk to your health are all factors that make an individual autonomous car more attractive than an airplane. Airlines will need to do a lot of adapting if they don't want to lose the market for shorter distance travel.
- noir_lord 10y ago
  Also once you have fully autonomous with no human oversight vehicles there is no reason they even have to look like a car internally any more, it could be a single bed next to a sit up chair and a table, you could sleep properly while you drive along or sit and work, that would sound pretty pleasant, work for a few hours while it drives, pull over for something to eat then get your head down and wake up at your destination.
  - pg_is_a_butt 10y ago
    yeah, no reason at all to look like a car internally... what with the seatbelts and airbags and all. a single bed next to a table... SAFE AT ANY SPEED! you're all idiots.
- Domenic_S 10y ago
  Airlines are already marginal for shorter-distances. SJ to LA is (imo) right at the cusp of being worth it. ~5 hours to drive, maybe SLIGHTLY less door-to-door on an airline. Any aircraft delay throws the whole thing off. Add parking at the airport + last mile travel on arrival and financially it only makes sense if the company pays.
capote 10y ago
I wonder why so many people immediately jump to thinking about a car as an alternative to short distance air travel. Would people in the US never even consider a fast train system as a good option between Philadelphia and Chicago? (If it were built, of course. But self-driving cars need to be built too. But I guess they're easier; I'm just dreaming)
- ndirish1842 10y ago
  Good point. I'd love if we had high speed rails in the US. I'd take it over a car everyday.
- mjevans 10y ago
  Likely because the TSA issue is something they expect to see infecting the train transport system if it existed and that the car is figuratively and literally a symbol of freedom and the ability to escape the rules of others in the American culture. (Source: I live here.)
  - capote 10y ago
    Interesting. To me the car is the least free method of transport. I feel like I'm in jail. There are thousands of rules, stay between the lines, listen to all the signs, careful to not hit children, it's so much more stressful than smoking a joint, sitting in a train and reading a book (my preferred way to get around).
    - unprepare 10y ago
      >careful to not hit children What are the rules on trains?
- scld 10y ago
  Those East-West train routes don't really have any pent up demand at the moment. http://www.america2050.org/pdf/Where-HSR-Works-Best.pdf http://www.america2050.org/pdf/Where-HSR-Works-Best.pdf. You can see those "islands" between which you would either need to have complete coverage between them like a spider web, or you'd need to travel from philly to DC or NY then over to Chicago. Now, take yourself a self-driving bus over to a large rail hub.....
zachlatta 10y ago
This is already happening for me when I travel between SF and LA. There's a bunch of bus routes that offer WiFi and operate through the night. Why would I fly when I could get on a bus at midnight and then wake up in LA at 7AM? When flying, sometimes my time spent in security is literally longer than my time in air. And that's not even taking cost into account, you can do $40-50 round trip on Greyhound vs. ~$140 for a flight.
- chrismcb 10y ago
  And this is why trains are fairly popular in Europe.

goda90 10y ago

Seat width, leg room, baggage limits, noise levels, air temperature, Internet connectivity(cell data vs airplane wifi) and the fact that you're exposed to numerous strangers at risk to your health are all factors that make an individual autonomous car more attractive than an airplane. Airlines will need to do a lot of adapting if they don't want to lose the market for shorter distance travel.

noir_lord 10y ago
Also once you have fully autonomous with no human oversight vehicles there is no reason they even have to look like a car internally any more, it could be a single bed next to a sit up chair and a table, you could sleep properly while you drive along or sit and work, that would sound pretty pleasant, work for a few hours while it drives, pull over for something to eat then get your head down and wake up at your destination.
- pg_is_a_butt 10y ago
  yeah, no reason at all to look like a car internally... what with the seatbelts and airbags and all. a single bed next to a table... SAFE AT ANY SPEED! you're all idiots.
Domenic_S 10y ago
Airlines are already marginal for shorter-distances. SJ to LA is (imo) right at the cusp of being worth it. ~5 hours to drive, maybe SLIGHTLY less door-to-door on an airline. Any aircraft delay throws the whole thing off. Add parking at the airport + last mile travel on arrival and financially it only makes sense if the company pays.

capote 10y ago

I wonder why so many people immediately jump to thinking about a car as an alternative to short distance air travel. Would people in the US never even consider a fast train system as a good option between Philadelphia and Chicago? (If it were built, of course. But self-driving cars need to be built too. But I guess they're easier; I'm just dreaming)

ndirish1842 10y ago
Good point. I'd love if we had high speed rails in the US. I'd take it over a car everyday.
mjevans 10y ago
Likely because the TSA issue is something they expect to see infecting the train transport system if it existed and that the car is figuratively and literally a symbol of freedom and the ability to escape the rules of others in the American culture. (Source: I live here.)
- capote 10y ago
  Interesting. To me the car is the least free method of transport. I feel like I'm in jail. There are thousands of rules, stay between the lines, listen to all the signs, careful to not hit children, it's so much more stressful than smoking a joint, sitting in a train and reading a book (my preferred way to get around).
  - unprepare 10y ago
    >careful to not hit children What are the rules on trains?
scld 10y ago
Those East-West train routes don't really have any pent up demand at the moment. http://www.america2050.org/pdf/Where-HSR-Works-Best.pdf http://www.america2050.org/pdf/Where-HSR-Works-Best.pdf. You can see those "islands" between which you would either need to have complete coverage between them like a spider web, or you'd need to travel from philly to DC or NY then over to Chicago. Now, take yourself a self-driving bus over to a large rail hub.....

zachlatta 10y ago

This is already happening for me when I travel between SF and LA. There's a bunch of bus routes that offer WiFi and operate through the night. Why would I fly when I could get on a bus at midnight and then wake up in LA at 7AM? When flying, sometimes my time spent in security is literally longer than my time in air. And that's not even taking cost into account, you can do $40-50 round trip on Greyhound vs. ~$140 for a flight.

chrismcb 10y ago
And this is why trains are fairly popular in Europe.