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Self-Driving Cars Were Just Around the Corner -- in 1960 I hear ya!

And flying cars would soon be on everybody's carport.

And, everybody would have their own super-computer in their hands. Oh, wait... that wasn't predicted, yet it happened.

Fact is that, technology in the 1960s wasn't comparable to technology of today, nor were cars as capable as today's with technology that makes those cars virtual supercomputers on wheels.

I get the resistance, but the technology does exist, and it's already being used, although not yet in the complete autonomous level-5 which is supposed ot eliminate drivers completely. Level-5 autonomy is what is coming in the next few years. The flying cars were not as practical as self-driving cars, and not affordable as cars are now.

I may not be around to see the fully autonomous vehicles take over the road, but, I would not resist something that could make our lives a lot easier and less costly.

I posted the link to the article about the 1960-vintage technology to make an important point: The technology is not the impediment to self-driving cars today.

The biggest impediment is pretty simple, and its a combination of economics and legal issues. The gap between a car that is 99% autonomous and a car that is 100% autonomous is enormous, but that last 1% is critical to realizing the practical benefits of the technology and to resolve the legal issues associated with it.

If a car is not 100% autonomous then it will never replace the driver entirely, and if the driver isn't removed from the operation entirely then the technology makes no economic sense for most potential customers. You might be able to convince someone to pay $50,000 for a fully autonomous car instead of $30,000 for a "regular" car. But if the $50,000 car is NOT fully autonomous and still has to be operated by someone who must sit at the wheel and pay attention to the road in front of him, then what exactly is the extra $20,000 getting for the driver except a whole bunch of sensors and warning indicators that tell him to do things that he then has to do himself anyway?

I would not resist something that could make our lives a lot easier and less costly.

Exactly. But I have yet to see an objective study that supports the notion that advanced automotive technology today actually makes our lives (1) a lot easier, and/or (2) less costly.