Saturday, December 5, 2015

"Driverless cars could spell the end for domestic flights, says Audi strategist"

"In the future you will not need a business hotel or a domestic flight," Schuwirth told Dezeen. "We can disrupt the entire business of domestic flights."

16 comments:

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

My father loves to get on the road... at his age I worry.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Now that is a pure country voice.

bagoh20 said...

We spent last week driving L.A.to Vegas, Vegas to Sedona, AZ, and then back to L.A.- about 1200 miles in all. It would be nice to be able to read, or go on line. If we had a driverless car, we would have driven at night and slept. I like to do drive those open roads at around 90mph. I'm betting the self driving cars won't be allowed to go that fast. I'm not sure how yet, but I'm positive that the pearl clutchers will insist on regulations that ruin the whole advantage of the technology. They always do.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

I don't know about a self driving car. One of the joys of a long road trip is the ability to stop for food at some out of the way cafe and visit with the locals. Take a side road and see what's down that way. Visit a town off of the interstate and poke around. See if you can find a cool antique store or local craft store. If you get tired of driving, find a rest stop or public park. Take a nap. Get out and walk. Have a snack. Sit quietly and watch the world.

We can go on line anytime. We can read a book when we are stopped at a rest stop and sitting under a tree. Why have your nose poked in an Iphone or book when you can observe the scenery, the wildlife, the other vehicles on the road and wonder what is down than frontage road.

PLUS there isn't anything better than driving at night on a straight stretch of Route 66 across the desert with the stars shining and the warm air coming in through the open windows or preferably with the convertable top down and your hair whipping in the wind. Listen to THIS and imagine the freedom to go where you want and when you want and take whatever route you want......Self driving cars can stuff it.

Perfect driving music
If that link doesn't work....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeRa3RtBiIU

bagoh20 said...

I love the scenery, but with 4 hours of Mohave desert you've seen a hundred times or freeway traffic you can't take your eyes off of, and I can use the time better.

bagoh20 said...

A self driving car would allow you to casually take in the scenery. I'm always the one driving so I could appreciate the car doing the important stuff for me.

bagoh20 said...

I could play guitar, or lay down some fancy kazoo solos.

Dad Bones said...

I've heard that computers don't crash as much as they used to. I wonder about driverless cars.

ampersand said...

I hope there's videocameras on board. I look forward to the you tube videos of hackers commandeering the controls and aiming for the nearest tree.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

lay down some fancy kazoo solos.

Well, NOW you are talking about some constructive time. You should record the solos for posterity.

We take turns driving and napping in the car on really long trips where we don't have time to mosey along.

I know what you mean by having to take the same route over and over again. Borrrrring. Commuting is incredibly boring,.....until that time that the wheel of the truck, 3 cars ahead of you on 101 between SF and San Jose, comes off and is bouncing down the freeway directly at you, and miraculously bounces before you and right over the top or in my case I was able to dodge into the center median before being hit....back in the day when there WAS a center median on the 101. THAT takes out the boring. I wonder how a self driving car can handle that type of emergency. What is the dodging capacity? Or does the car just keep chugging along right into the wheel?

I have the feeling/suspicion that the self driving car idea is a trap to keep people from straying from the designated paths and to know where you are at all times. That's why I also do not have a GPS locator on my car. The government wants us to be contained in the cities and to not stray from the approved locations. Self driving cars are one way to limit your mobility.

To me....a car is freedom. Go where you want and when you want. Change your destination mid trip. Stop and have NO destination. No one knows where you are going or where you have been. You don't have to buy a ticket or present a passport or other ID than have a driver's license. You don't get your body frisked or lose your luggage either. You can stray from the path on which all the other robo-cars and robo-people are confined to traveling. I wouldn't trade the convenience for the freedom. Not even for a good Kazoo solo.

Rabel said...

We'll have fully autonomous, mass market, self-driving cars one day. They'll arrive shortly before the flying cars.

ndspinelli said...

DBQ, We are simpatico about the beauties of hitting the road. I will be starting my sojourn to SoCal soon. I chuckle @ the people who don't get the fact that I have no set route, no set schedule. I let the weather, wind, and whim decide my route and schedule. I also marvel that I have exponentially more weather info to plan my trip than poor Ike had to plan D-Day.

I'm Full of Soup said...

I can't wait til I am retired and I can do what Spinelli does: Take a long car ride and just meander.

This past summer, we drove from Philly to New Hamp, hiked the Mt. Washington then drove to Quebec City [I highly recommend it] and then hit Cooperstown on the way back. It was great - took nine leisurely days and was perfect. Total was about 1600 miles.

Trooper York said...

You do realize that the goal of the progressives is to take cars away from everyone. To limit your mobility and personal freedom.

Trooper York said...

That is what bike lanes and bullet trains and mass transit is all about.

I have used mass transit all my life. You know what? It really sucks. You have no idea until you ride the subway to work everyday.

Aridog said...

Not sure what Lynn Anderson has to do with self driving cars, but I do recall her well from various American Quarter Horse Association and National Cutting Horse Association horse shows and trials, where I competed as well. Some how she kept her "amateur" card even with a husband that was a superb trainer, had a large pasture full of great horses, professionally bred & tended, and competing at the highest levels herself....at the professional level. She was NCHA (cutting horses) champion in 1999. I never minded her "amateur" status (only grumpy folks did) thanks to her voice, her songs, and the bright light she brought to many other wise dull arenas. Cutting horse trials usually began at 0600 and her presence was always welcome. It takes a bright light to illuminate an early day after a night on the town with a bunch of beer & whiskey drinking cowboys. Trust me on that one.

RIP Lynn Renee Anderson. You added to many of our lives.