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There are other benefits of self driving cars. For example average utilization of a self driving car would be at least an order of magnitude greater than non-s

There are other benefits of self driving cars. For example average utilization of a self driving car would be at least an order of magnitude greater than non-self driving one. Think about how much time a car spends parked and waiting to be used. With greater utilization we should have a lower absolute number of vehicles that are replaced more frequently. This would lead to less polluting and better maintained vehicles since they would all be fleet owned/operated in this scenario. How cool would it be to have the public transit of the future be a point to point, any point, transit system using an army of electric minivans (minibus in urban areas).

itsoktocry 3y ago
>For example average utilization of a self driving car would be at least an order of magnitude greater than non-self driving one. Why would this be the case? At least one order of magnitude? >This would lead to less polluting and better maintained vehicles since they would all be fleet owned/operated in this scenario. Ah yes, those meticulously maintained taxi and rental car fleets. >How cool would it be to have the public transit of the future be a point to point, What is preventing this today? Not the lack of autonomous vehicles. Ah yes, those meticulously maintained taxi and rental car fleets.
bluefirebrand 3y ago
> How cool would it be to have the public transit of the future be a point to point I don't really see any benefit to this being public transportation. When people go out with their cars, they expect their car to be there when they are done. They expect to be able to stop at a store, buy some things, stop at another store and buy some more, leaving their first purchase in the car while they keep shopping. Making this work is less "public transportation" and more "short term rental" like Car2Go. Which was a shitty service that I hated using. If we get self driving cars, I am still personally going to want to buy my own, not rely on some public transportation fleet.
isthatafact 3y ago
That logic falls apart if everyone buys a self-driving car, and then decides that a 2+ hour commute is not so bad because they can use it as a mini mobile living room+bedroom+dining room. An overnight car ride to the weekend house in a distant mountain region might become a common habit too.
tbrownaw 3y ago
What fraction of the day is rush hour? How many cars are needed for that? How many cars are needed for typical evening or night traffic?

itsoktocry 3y ago

>For example average utilization of a self driving car would be at least an order of magnitude greater than non-self driving one. Why would this be the case? At least one order of magnitude? >This would lead to less polluting and better maintained vehicles since they would all be fleet owned/operated in this scenario. Ah yes, those meticulously maintained taxi and rental car fleets. >How cool would it be to have the public transit of the future be a point to point, What is preventing this today? Not the lack of autonomous vehicles. Ah yes, those meticulously maintained taxi and rental car fleets.

bluefirebrand 3y ago

> How cool would it be to have the public transit of the future be a point to point I don't really see any benefit to this being public transportation. When people go out with their cars, they expect their car to be there when they are done. They expect to be able to stop at a store, buy some things, stop at another store and buy some more, leaving their first purchase in the car while they keep shopping. Making this work is less "public transportation" and more "short term rental" like Car2Go. Which was a shitty service that I hated using. If we get self driving cars, I am still personally going to want to buy my own, not rely on some public transportation fleet.

isthatafact 3y ago

That logic falls apart if everyone buys a self-driving car, and then decides that a 2+ hour commute is not so bad because they can use it as a mini mobile living room+bedroom+dining room. An overnight car ride to the weekend house in a distant mountain region might become a common habit too.

tbrownaw 3y ago

What fraction of the day is rush hour? How many cars are needed for that? How many cars are needed for typical evening or night traffic?