4 ms·

Not all commutes are equal. Self driving will change many aspects. You will be able to do recreational stuff while in the car.

sokoloff 7y ago
That's already available today on trains and airplanes. I don't find that time particularly useful for recreation or for working.
shakezula 7y ago
Mass transit also plays a huge role. An hour on the train is vastly different than an hour in the car.
Jagat 7y ago
I was quite bullish on self driving cars about 5-6 years ago. As time passed by, and venture funding and media optimism seems to be drying out in silicon valley, I've been increasingly thinking level 5 is not going to happen in the next 20-30 years without significant legislative changes (e.g., dedicated roads or some other means of lowering the entropy for self-driving cars).
michaelgrosner2 7y ago
That is absolutely wrong. I take a train for ~50mins and walk ~10mins. I used to just do the ~10min walk. Work/Life was so much better when I just did the walk. Sure I can read and listen to podcasts and play phone games, but what I'd really like to be doing is be with my wife and son, or really just not in transit.
- findmyway 7y ago
  Train is a public environment. Train and self driving is totally different things.
- Grangar 7y ago
  I'll offer a contrast. For me 10 minutes wasn't enough because it made me feel like I lived at work. Now that I travel 45 mins the increased physical distance results in mental distance as well and feels incredibly liberating.
bluGill 7y ago
Self driving will let you do things you can do while sitting down in traffic. Since I get carsick that means stare out the window. Basically, if you can't do it on the bus you can't do it in a self driving car either. With the bus you can talk to a stranger (which can be good or bad...). A self driving car if anything makes congestion worse: people will send their car back home for free parking thus using much more road space.
- ThrowawayR2 7y ago
  > "Since I get carsick that means stare out the window." Judging by the number of people staring into their smartphones on the bus every time I ride, only a negligible minority of people would have that disadvantage.

sokoloff 7y ago

That's already available today on trains and airplanes. I don't find that time particularly useful for recreation or for working.

shakezula 7y ago

Mass transit also plays a huge role. An hour on the train is vastly different than an hour in the car.

Jagat 7y ago

I was quite bullish on self driving cars about 5-6 years ago. As time passed by, and venture funding and media optimism seems to be drying out in silicon valley, I've been increasingly thinking level 5 is not going to happen in the next 20-30 years without significant legislative changes (e.g., dedicated roads or some other means of lowering the entropy for self-driving cars).

michaelgrosner2 7y ago

That is absolutely wrong. I take a train for ~50mins and walk ~10mins. I used to just do the ~10min walk. Work/Life was so much better when I just did the walk. Sure I can read and listen to podcasts and play phone games, but what I'd really like to be doing is be with my wife and son, or really just not in transit.

findmyway 7y ago
Train is a public environment. Train and self driving is totally different things.
Grangar 7y ago
I'll offer a contrast. For me 10 minutes wasn't enough because it made me feel like I lived at work. Now that I travel 45 mins the increased physical distance results in mental distance as well and feels incredibly liberating.

bluGill 7y ago

Self driving will let you do things you can do while sitting down in traffic. Since I get carsick that means stare out the window. Basically, if you can't do it on the bus you can't do it in a self driving car either. With the bus you can talk to a stranger (which can be good or bad...). A self driving car if anything makes congestion worse: people will send their car back home for free parking thus using much more road space.

ThrowawayR2 7y ago
> "Since I get carsick that means stare out the window." Judging by the number of people staring into their smartphones on the bus every time I ride, only a negligible minority of people would have that disadvantage.