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Well, autonomous cars have real advantages in terms of transportation flexibility and comfort. Those are two factors that are very important in people's transpo

Well, autonomous cars have real advantages in terms of transportation flexibility and comfort. Those are two factors that are very important in people's transportation decisions.

rhizome 10y ago
On comfort, it's not going to be a robotic BMW that is used for autonomous traffic, it's going to be a robotic subcompact with fiberglass seats and can't be ruined by vomit. Think: carnival ride with a better seatbelts and airbags.
- inimino 10y ago
  Think: Uber without the driver. Do you think the market for more comfortable transportation is just going to disappear or something?
  - rhizome 10y ago
    I think the profit motive will increase margins.
    - inimino 10y ago
      I think the profit motive would lead to somebody serving the top end of the market. People aren't going to give up their BMWs unless the experience is better.
      - lmm 10y ago
        People will pick based on cost. Look at air travel: everyone bitches about the low-cost airlines with their narrow seats and $5 sandwiches, but they fly with them anyway.
        inimino 10y ago
        First, there isn't an individual plane coming to pick you up (not for most flyers). Second, you can still fly first class if you want a better experience. Most people don't buy BMWs either, but enough do that they stay in business. Uber doesn't compete with public transit by bus, either.
      - rhizome 10y ago
        You mean like how Uber itself began with black cars only, then started moving further and further downmarket with increased investor pressure, even reaching the humiliating step of dealing in subprime loans? You're right to imply that initially there would (probably) be a luxury factor to get the sector off the ground -- what's the opposite of a loss leader? -- but the invisible hand reaches through the centuries and demands satisfaction, or so the story goes.
  - ethanbond 10y ago
    Uber hemorrhages cash. Why is this so hard for people to understand? It is not a business success and we shouldn't be modeling our infrastructure after it. It might be successful someday, maybe, but how about we wait until then.
    - inimino 10y ago
      The point is that there's a market for rides in nice cars. It's unreasonable to think that's going to suddenly go away if they become driverless.
      - iamatworknow 10y ago
        I lease a car for about $200/month. I don't own it but until the lease is up it's my car. I can put the driver's seat the way I want and it stays there. I know where all the features are and how to use them. It's comfortable, clean, and smells nice. I find it hard to believe I'll still get all of this for the same relative price in a future when I'm renting rides from an autonomous fleet.

Well, autonomous cars have real advantages in terms of transportation flexibility and comfort. Those are two factors that are very important in people's transportation decisions.

rhizome 10y ago

On comfort, it's not going to be a robotic BMW that is used for autonomous traffic, it's going to be a robotic subcompact with fiberglass seats and can't be ruined by vomit. Think: carnival ride with a better seatbelts and airbags.

inimino 10y ago
Think: Uber without the driver. Do you think the market for more comfortable transportation is just going to disappear or something?
- rhizome 10y ago
  I think the profit motive will increase margins.
  - inimino 10y ago
    I think the profit motive would lead to somebody serving the top end of the market. People aren't going to give up their BMWs unless the experience is better.
    - lmm 10y ago
      People will pick based on cost. Look at air travel: everyone bitches about the low-cost airlines with their narrow seats and $5 sandwiches, but they fly with them anyway.
      - inimino 10y ago
        First, there isn't an individual plane coming to pick you up (not for most flyers). Second, you can still fly first class if you want a better experience. Most people don't buy BMWs either, but enough do that they stay in business. Uber doesn't compete with public transit by bus, either.
    - rhizome 10y ago
      You mean like how Uber itself began with black cars only, then started moving further and further downmarket with increased investor pressure, even reaching the humiliating step of dealing in subprime loans? You're right to imply that initially there would (probably) be a luxury factor to get the sector off the ground -- what's the opposite of a loss leader? -- but the invisible hand reaches through the centuries and demands satisfaction, or so the story goes.
- ethanbond 10y ago
  Uber hemorrhages cash. Why is this so hard for people to understand? It is not a business success and we shouldn't be modeling our infrastructure after it. It might be successful someday, maybe, but how about we wait until then.
  - inimino 10y ago
    The point is that there's a market for rides in nice cars. It's unreasonable to think that's going to suddenly go away if they become driverless.
    - iamatworknow 10y ago
      I lease a car for about $200/month. I don't own it but until the lease is up it's my car. I can put the driver's seat the way I want and it stays there. I know where all the features are and how to use them. It's comfortable, clean, and smells nice. I find it hard to believe I'll still get all of this for the same relative price in a future when I'm renting rides from an autonomous fleet.