If all cars were driverless there would be no “volume” delays.The slow down in volume situations occur because almost 100 percent of drivers CANNOT merge and accelerate simultaneously.
That’s a fact. I drive 100% for my job and drivers cannot even pass a car without slowing down first.
I am amazed with the patience that Truckers have with merging traffic.
(and it is 99% the same people that will stop on a merge ramp because they don’t have any driving sense at all)
Modern air traffic control simulates each aircraft from takeoff to landing, including insertion into the pattern. Aircraft take off and land at no closer than 30 second intervals, generally 1 minute intervals. It is all these computers can do at the national volume of aircraft.
Driverless cars will not have the benefit of an outside computer plotting and interleaving individual trips. I suspect driverless cars are destined to look like a bad idea.