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Now imagine the consequences to people's travel decisions when you can do this for any two locations within, say, 500 miles of each other, because you can sleep
by agf 6y ago
Now imagine the consequences to people's travel decisions when you can do this for any two locations within, say, 500 miles of each other, because you can sleep in your self-driving car while it takes you there. Not just locations linked by train.
Wilderness areas, second homes, minor tourist destinations of all kinds. It has the potential to totally change the economies and usage patterns of those areas.
I live somewhere that's just far enough from the major east coast population centers to keep weekend traffic down. But when sleeping in a self driving car is a reality? We're talking 100 million people who can spend a weekend here easily. It's going to change everything.
- ghaff 6y agoThis sort of thing may be further out than many here think. But it will absolutely change the equation when a 2-3 hour each way day trip or a 5-6 hour each way weekend trip is practically effortless. (Not sure about 500 miles but definitely distances that aren't easy today.)
- baq 6y ago500 miles of highway/autobahn/autostrada is definitely possible, i'd say even with 2020 tech. i fully expect a long-distance self-driving passenger van/minibus service in the next 5-10 years - get on on a park&ride close to a highway, get off in the morning 500 miles away in a park&ride, take taxi/uber/train to the city center. even better if my own car could do that - it'd make road trips on vacation so much better.