3 ms·
Could regular car owners farm their cars out as regular taxis? It doesn't seem compelling. The only value that car owners are providing in this scenario are ca
by tlb 7y ago
Could regular car owners farm their cars out as regular taxis? It doesn't seem compelling.
The only value that car owners are providing in this scenario are capital (the cost of the car) and maintenance. The capital for a self-driving taxi is more than a regular taxi, but otherwise it's similar. Both capital and maintenance can be provided more efficiently in bulk than in a cottage industry model.
- __d 7y agoI agree that the economics here are interesting. I think it's useful to consider firstly car sharing, without the autonomous aspect. I think it's a pretty compelling argument for many car owners whose capital is otherwise tied up in a mostly unproductive asset. Particularly in the case where you end up paying for parking during some of this unproductive time. For the service provider, I think ultimately you're looking at the cost of supplying a vehicle to transport your customer. Where the car is shared, can that cost be lower than if it's a dedicated vehicle? I think it can, because for car owners willing to share, any income is a bonus. It just has to be enough to overcome any inconvenience to make it worthwhile. And I think that's the point that your "cottage industry" comment misses: the costs of capital and maintenance are immaterial to the service provider. All they need to pay to overcome is the inconvenience and any psychological "yuck" factor.