Posted on 11/07/2017 8:24:03 AM PST by Hojczyk
It saddens me to say it, but we are approaching the end of the automotive era.
The auto industry is on an accelerating change curve. For hundreds of years, the horse was the prime mover of humans and for the past 120 years it has been the automobile.
Now we are approaching the end of the line for the automobile because travel will be in standardized modules.
The end state will be the fully autonomous module with no capability for the driver to exercise command. You will call for it, it will arrive at your location, you'll get in, input your destination and go to the freeway.
On the freeway, it will merge seamlessly into a stream of other modules traveling at 120, 150 mph. The speed doesn't matter. You have a blending of rail-type with individual transportation.
Then, as you approach your exit, your module will enter deceleration lanes, exit and go to your final destination. You will be billed for the transportation. You will enter your credit card number or your thumbprint or whatever it will be then. The module will take off and go to its collection point, ready for the next person to call.
Most of these standardized modules will be purchased and owned by the Ubers and Lyfts and God knows what other companies that will enter the transportation business in the future.
A minority of individuals may elect to have personalized modules sitting at home so they can leave their vacation stuff and the kids' soccer gear in them. They'll still want that convenience.
The vehicles, however, will no longer be driven by humans because in 15 to 20 years at the latest human-driven vehicles will be legislated off the highways.
(Excerpt) Read more at autonews.com ...
Personal transportation will always be the primary source. People will always want the flexibility to where and when they choose. Technology cannot change human instinct.
From the article:
“The vehicles, however, will no longer be driven by humans because in 15 to 20 years at the latest human-driven vehicles will be legislated off the highways.”
That “legislated off the highways” is a lefties dream.
What are the chances a direct route to central America would be build to evict illegals directly, without hearing and without delay?
I don’t like it either, but given technological advances, government “planning,” insurance safety demands and an aging population, it’s coming, just as surely as AI and robotics will put wide swathes of the populace out of work, possibly permanently. Brave new world, and I’m having a tough time seeing the good of it, but I can see the good of it in certain instances if I step out of my current circumstance. Still, it’ll be abused. Such power always is.
Soon we will all be flying around Futurecity in our solar powered personal size Flying Transporters.
Tthen it will deliver you where "The End State" wants you, jail, court, concentration camp, euthanasia factory.
I can see that occurring but not in the instance of illegal aliens. I can see it occurring with people whose ideology isn’t onboard with the leftist regime du jour, though.
Yes, don’t you love all of our flying cars parked in our garages?
I agree. Betted to have us confined to the lord’s estate.
most people arent going to have any interest in traveling anywhere on a regular basis.
...
I’m already there.
It took Detroit 25 years to convert from carbs to fuel injection
We may see a gradual transition to self driving cars in the next 20 years
It's not a infrastructure problem, it's a population problem. We have gone from 150 to 300+ million in 50 years !
My uncle has a country place, that no one knows about
He says it used to be a farm, before the Motor Law
And on Sundays I elude the 'Eyes', and hop the Turbine freight
To far outside the Wire, where my white-haired uncle waits
Jump to the ground
As the Turbo slows to cross the borderline
Run like the wind
As excitement shivers up and down my spine
Down in his barn
My uncle preserved for me an old machine -
For fifty-odd years
To keep it as new has been his dearest dream
I strip away the old debris, that hides a shining car
A brilliant red Barchetta, from a better, vanished time
Fire up the willing engine, responding with a roar!
Tires spitting gravel, I commit my weekly crime...
Wind in my hair -
Shifting and drifting -
Mechanical music -
Adrenaline surge -
Well-weathered leather
Hot metal and oil
The scented country air
Sunlight on chrome
The blur of the landscape
Every nerve aware
Suddenly, ahead of me, across the mountainside
A gleaming alloy air-car, shoots towards me, two lanes wide
I spin around with shrieking tires, to run the deadly race
Go screaming through the valley as another joins the chase
Run like the wind
Straining the limits of machine and man
Laughing out loud
With fear and hope, I've got a desperate plan
At the one-lane bridge
I leave the giants stranded
At the riverside
Race back to the farm
To dream with my uncle
At the fireside
“It just doesnt appeal to me, not right now. Check back in thirty years when my reflexes have slowed, my feet might be numb due to neuropathy, my vision is shot and I might not even be capable of driving anymore. Then, it would make perfect sense and be very appealing.”
I’m just about there and I still want to drive my own car———it’s all about control for me..
I even like to manually control my thermostat. :-)
.
.
An equally likely scenario:
A person gets into a module for a vacation in Florida with his family. The module mistakenly ID's the occupant as a suspect with an outstanding felony warrant...
It seems an illegal alien employed by the government as a data entry clerk erroneously entered the individual's name as Jo' Яell473 instead of Jo' Rell473.
Bump.
I was thinking this just a short time ago after the latest mass killing by Vehicle in NY. Authorities will use those types of events as an excuse to Automate all vehicles. It will be a sad day and it might be here sooner than we think. Our “leaders” will be drooling at the chance to monitor and control all of our travel. Another Globalist dream come to pass.
The future is not ours to see, que sera sera.
However today this could happen anyplace that taxis serve. It is a small step to omit the driver if the cars are capable. The author postulates that the highways can be evolved to operate with specialized units that work together in harmony via computer controls. I see this could happen but will cost a fortune. I do not see the infrastructure being within the scope of our future budgets. Unless the Trump growth is phenomenal.
It may be that we can develop an intermediate step where cars link up on today’s highways and cruise under joint control with more speed and safety than today’s highways. This may be a precursor to the driver less and owner less future described, but don’t forget the massive social cost that has to be supported by an economy and a very restrictive government. This is also the end of freedom.
Millennials may expect this future, but I have hope that the average person will dig in and say No, leave things be.
KC
Buses are legit transportation for those without means or ability to drive. A regular schedule is possible, and nothing more than a bus stop is necessary.
Will we really need? Why will we need to leave home?
We will work, order food, play games, watch videos, visit places by drones with cameras that feed into our computer. The drones will deliver whatever we need. We can have conversations with anybody and our computers will be able to link us up with someone who agrees with us if we want to discuss any topic. We will even have droids to have sex with and tell us how wonderful we are. We will even be able to simulate driving on our computer.
/s
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