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I do not see how that solves the general problem. Either there are as many cars available for prebooking as their are rush-hour commuters who want them or we h
by asoneth 5y ago
I do not see how that solves the general problem.
Either there are as many cars available for prebooking as their are rush-hour commuters who want them or we have to ration the supply using shortages and/or surge pricing. In the former case we haven't appreciably decreased the number of cars. In the latter case I anticipate that anyone who can afford to do so will continue to own a private vehicle to ensure they can get to work on time, so we also haven't appreciably decreased the number of cars.
- Ma8ee 5y agoIt solves the problem that you can plan your trip. The complaint was that you couldn’t plan your trip. Not everyone go to work at the same time, so every car will be available for several trips. And what would be wrong with prices that varies with demand? Isn’t that how market economy is supposed to work? It will still be cheaper than owning your own car.
- asoneth 5y agoIt is theoretically possible, sure. I'm trying to imagine a nontrivial number of people who currently own a private vehicle selling that vehicle to rely on prebooking both of their daily commuting trips with a flexibly-priced mode of transportation to save money. As a datapoint, I know many people who regularly take car services like Uber, but I don't know of anyone who actually sold their car to rely exclusively on a car service to commute. Perhaps if driverless cars halve the price of car service it might start to happen? I'm not saying it is not theoretically possible that driverless cars will reduce car ownership, I am saying that I am skeptical of the weak arguments and minimal evidence provided thus far for such a claim.
- Ma8ee 5y agoThere’s not much evidence in either direction before they are a reality.