4 ms·

Sounds like Vegas would be a good starting point, no one remembers what happens there (zing). In all seriousness, Google is going to drop a ton of money into Ne

Sounds like Vegas would be a good starting point, no one remembers what happens there (zing). In all seriousness, Google is going to drop a ton of money into Nevada to make this happen and drive more people to Vegas again. I call this a stimulation package, hope it passes.

ktsmith 15y ago
I don't think Vegas would be the starting point. Nevada is in the midst of massive unemployment numbers and a massive budget crises. There are a lot of people employed in Vegas as drivers of cabs, limos and other private services. Launching driverless car services in Vegas would likely meet with massive public resistance. I could see it as another tourist attraction for the strip I suppose but I wouldn't want to test autonomous vehicles there given the crappy traffic and idiotic/distracted drivers there. I would probably start testing in the Carson City, Reno, Sparks area. You can get a flight from the bay to Reno that takes 45 minutes. If you need to take cars back and forth to Mountain View it is only a 3-4 hour drive. The capital is Carson City so if you need access to the legislature you have it. There's also very diverse geography and lots of public roads available for testing. If you need populated areas or unpopulated areas everything is here all while being a lot closer to Google than Las Vegas is.
- gkelly 15y ago
  California's budget deficit is larger, but a large sum of money from Google can probably buy much more legislation in Nevada.
  - ktsmith 15y ago
    Nevada is much less hostile to corporate interests than California so the amount of legislation they can buy with via lobbying is only part of the issue. I only mention the budget and employment issues because I believe they are relevant to the use of autonomous vehicles in Las Vegas which I believe the parent poster was implying. That would be seen as killing jobs (even if not true) by the local population and could end up being very bad for the legislators that approved the legislation allowing autonomous vehicles. As far as Nevada's budget deficit goes, the issue could be resolved relatively simply however no one in the legislature is even willing to talk about the steps necessary to do so.
metageek 15y ago
I expect the initial trials will be on desert roads.

ktsmith 15y ago

I don't think Vegas would be the starting point. Nevada is in the midst of massive unemployment numbers and a massive budget crises. There are a lot of people employed in Vegas as drivers of cabs, limos and other private services. Launching driverless car services in Vegas would likely meet with massive public resistance. I could see it as another tourist attraction for the strip I suppose but I wouldn't want to test autonomous vehicles there given the crappy traffic and idiotic/distracted drivers there. I would probably start testing in the Carson City, Reno, Sparks area. You can get a flight from the bay to Reno that takes 45 minutes. If you need to take cars back and forth to Mountain View it is only a 3-4 hour drive. The capital is Carson City so if you need access to the legislature you have it. There's also very diverse geography and lots of public roads available for testing. If you need populated areas or unpopulated areas everything is here all while being a lot closer to Google than Las Vegas is.

gkelly 15y ago
California's budget deficit is larger, but a large sum of money from Google can probably buy much more legislation in Nevada.
- ktsmith 15y ago
  Nevada is much less hostile to corporate interests than California so the amount of legislation they can buy with via lobbying is only part of the issue. I only mention the budget and employment issues because I believe they are relevant to the use of autonomous vehicles in Las Vegas which I believe the parent poster was implying. That would be seen as killing jobs (even if not true) by the local population and could end up being very bad for the legislators that approved the legislation allowing autonomous vehicles. As far as Nevada's budget deficit goes, the issue could be resolved relatively simply however no one in the legislature is even willing to talk about the steps necessary to do so.

metageek 15y ago

I expect the initial trials will be on desert roads.