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How will the robotaxis become unsafe? The reason public transit is unsafe is because of the other passengers on board with you, but you have the robotaxi to you

How will the robotaxis become unsafe? The reason public transit is unsafe is because of the other passengers on board with you, but you have the robotaxi to yourself.

palata 1y ago
> How will the robotaxis become unsafe? Apparently they already are: they need a supervisor human for every ride.
- josephcsible 1y ago
  Are Waymos unsafe too? Didn't they also have them at first?
  - palata 1y ago
    My point was that the robotaxis have to become safe before we can think of them becoming unsafe again :-). I don't remember mentioning Waymo.
intended 1y ago
Pricing - the point of the airline industry example is to highlight the level of nickel and diming that happens. I’ve been on the best ranked airline, and had dirty toilets - before take off. I’m not alluding to enshittification here - just that if your commuters don’t have the money to pay for better quality taxis, they are going to get dirtier cabs, and less safer cars. Being private isn’t a magic bullet- it’s a matching of incentives and markets that produces outcomes. This doesn’t mean that public goods and services can’t be equivalently good.
- josephcsible 1y ago
  But when people complain public transit is unsafe, they don't mean that it's dirty (even though that's usually also true). They specifically mean they're worried about being the victim of a crime committed by someone else on it with them, and robotaxis solve that regardless of price.
  - intended 1y ago
    There was a gang operation in India that targeted drivers stuck in traffic. They tapped on the side of the car, making it seem like there had been an impact. When the driver opened their window and leaned out to find out what would happen, they grabbed whatever was on the windshield and ran. Automated cars have been stopped by … consecutive stop signs. Look - Safety is - at some point - a societal issue. Yes, being in your own taxi is cool, and the threat you are concerned about is reduced. But this is assuming things remain the same.
queenkjuul 1y ago
They already aren't safe

How will the robotaxis become unsafe? The reason public transit is unsafe is because of the other passengers on board with you, but you have the robotaxi to yourself.

palata 1y ago

> How will the robotaxis become unsafe? Apparently they already are: they need a supervisor human for every ride.

josephcsible 1y ago
Are Waymos unsafe too? Didn't they also have them at first?
- palata 1y ago
  My point was that the robotaxis have to become safe before we can think of them becoming unsafe again :-). I don't remember mentioning Waymo.

intended 1y ago

Pricing - the point of the airline industry example is to highlight the level of nickel and diming that happens. I’ve been on the best ranked airline, and had dirty toilets - before take off. I’m not alluding to enshittification here - just that if your commuters don’t have the money to pay for better quality taxis, they are going to get dirtier cabs, and less safer cars. Being private isn’t a magic bullet- it’s a matching of incentives and markets that produces outcomes. This doesn’t mean that public goods and services can’t be equivalently good.

josephcsible 1y ago
But when people complain public transit is unsafe, they don't mean that it's dirty (even though that's usually also true). They specifically mean they're worried about being the victim of a crime committed by someone else on it with them, and robotaxis solve that regardless of price.
- intended 1y ago
  There was a gang operation in India that targeted drivers stuck in traffic. They tapped on the side of the car, making it seem like there had been an impact. When the driver opened their window and leaned out to find out what would happen, they grabbed whatever was on the windshield and ran. Automated cars have been stopped by … consecutive stop signs. Look - Safety is - at some point - a societal issue. Yes, being in your own taxi is cool, and the threat you are concerned about is reduced. But this is assuming things remain the same.

queenkjuul 1y ago

They already aren't safe