3 ms·

Uber is taking a big risk by ordering 24,000 cars from Volvo

14 points by okket 9y ago

alkonaut 9y ago
This is a pretty big gamble right? I mean if they buy a billion dollars worth of high end cars and regulation or tech fails to remove the driver from the equation then they just have a much more expensive fleet than the competition? I’m calling it: the “autonomous fleet” will be manned and the drivers will be doing telemarketing calls or similar 95% of the time, and only drive when the AI can’t.
- Symbiote 9y ago
  Regulation shouldn't be a problem: if the USA won't allow them, there are plenty of other countries that might.
  - alkonaut 9y ago
    I don't think regulation is the biggest hurdle either. But the cars have to have great reliability while being very safe. So I think the cheapest way to achieve that within the closest 10 years is to have someone that isn't very well paid to simply sit in the car and monitor it.
  - no1youknowz 9y ago
    Like the UK. With the up-coming budget... [0] > Mr Hammond is due to announce regulation changes in Wednesday's Budget which will allow developers to apply to test driverless vehicles on UK roads. > Asked about the potential loss of jobs for drivers, he said the country could not "hide from change" and the government had to equip people with the skills "to take up new careers". There is your answer. [0]: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42040856 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42040856
cltlz3n 9y ago
> Lyft is betting that other companies will figure out how to build self-driving cars but won't have the time, expertise, or capital required to build their own Lyft-style ride-hailing networks. By contrast, Uber seems to fear that a company like Waymo could build both driverless cars and a ride-hailing app, shutting companies like Uber and Lyft out of the marketplace altogether. Everybody and their cousin is doing on-site delivery and geo tracking type apps these days so I'd say Lyft's bet is much riskier.

3 ms·

Uber is taking a big risk by ordering 24,000 cars from Volvo

14 points by okket 9y ago

alkonaut 9y ago
This is a pretty big gamble right? I mean if they buy a billion dollars worth of high end cars and regulation or tech fails to remove the driver from the equation then they just have a much more expensive fleet than the competition? I’m calling it: the “autonomous fleet” will be manned and the drivers will be doing telemarketing calls or similar 95% of the time, and only drive when the AI can’t.
- Symbiote 9y ago
  Regulation shouldn't be a problem: if the USA won't allow them, there are plenty of other countries that might.
  - alkonaut 9y ago
    I don't think regulation is the biggest hurdle either. But the cars have to have great reliability while being very safe. So I think the cheapest way to achieve that within the closest 10 years is to have someone that isn't very well paid to simply sit in the car and monitor it.
  - no1youknowz 9y ago
    Like the UK. With the up-coming budget... [0] > Mr Hammond is due to announce regulation changes in Wednesday's Budget which will allow developers to apply to test driverless vehicles on UK roads. > Asked about the potential loss of jobs for drivers, he said the country could not "hide from change" and the government had to equip people with the skills "to take up new careers". There is your answer. [0]: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42040856 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42040856
cltlz3n 9y ago
> Lyft is betting that other companies will figure out how to build self-driving cars but won't have the time, expertise, or capital required to build their own Lyft-style ride-hailing networks. By contrast, Uber seems to fear that a company like Waymo could build both driverless cars and a ride-hailing app, shutting companies like Uber and Lyft out of the marketplace altogether. Everybody and their cousin is doing on-site delivery and geo tracking type apps these days so I'd say Lyft's bet is much riskier.