Because point-to-point self-driving taxis are a fool’s errand. They don’t alleviate congestion, they don’t improve traffic flow, they don’t improve urban planni

Because point-to-point self-driving taxis are a fool’s errand. They don’t alleviate congestion, they don’t improve traffic flow, they don’t improve urban planning. They’re a direct replacement for individual cars, but now rent-forever as opposed to owning or leasing ourselves. The whole concept is just to remove another strata of ownership and funnel more money to Capital and away from Governments, which I guess is the whole point if you genuinely don’t like governments for some reason. The healthier option for the masses is expanding mass transit networks, not luxe taxis. Light rail is infinitely more efficient and safer than individual vehicles, be they owner-operated or self-driving. It moves more people, further, faster, and cheaper than any potential self-driving automobile. When you include the whole of networks - ferries, bus routes, commuter rail - they’re the single most effective solution to everything self-driving car proponents claim their products can do, if only they had another round of funding. I’m not saying we should stop investing in the technology, mind. I just think it’s a better use of our limited resources to invest in improving, expanding, and modernizing mass transit than to build armies of privately-owned taxis, self-driving or otherwise.