Would you every buy a car that you could not drive yourself?

[theboom1]

If there was a tesla(or any car or truck or any vehicle for that matter) that was fully self driving only, im talking no steering wheel or pedals, would you buy it?

There are some people that think that self driving cars will be mandatory within the next 30 years or so but im hoping that at least on certain vehicles like trucks or sports cars, that we will still have the option to drive when we want to, just with the computer on in the background making sure you cant crash. I feel like this would satisfy the people that need the flexibility and utility that comes with a truck or the fun of driving a sports car as well as the people that want the benefits that come with self driving cars like very little crashes. What are your thoughts on this idea?

The idea that everyone will use shared cars in the future is extremely unlikely to me, other than in big cities, for many reasons from convenience to personalization to modifications to the fact that people leave a lot of personal crap in their cars. And to the fact that not everyone likes public transportation and if you have used it, you know what im talking about. It will never become mandatory to use shared vehicles because that goes against the entire basis of a free market.

 

[Panthers1521]

There is a lot of talk, but steering wheels aren't going anywhere for a very very long time. They may get smaller, and possible fold away but there will always need to be a back up system. Even that is probably 50 years away. Us EV owners generally live in developed countries with excellent infrastructure, this great infrastructure allows EV's to work. There needs to be smooth paved roads, clear lines, laws that enforce safe driving, so self driving cars can predict driving habits. And the list goes on... Car manufactures can't and won't build cars just developed countries, they would lose a fortune. Most countries don't have infrastructure ready for self driving cars. Take Haiti for example, There are lots of wealthy people in Haiti that could afford a Tesla X, but the auto pilot would be a disaster, no driving law, unpaved roads, unpredictable driving habits... I am sure many years from now that will be worked out, but we need to an extremely long way for that. We are still years away from the US.

 

[cpa]

Right now at age 62, no. Perhaps if I make it to 90-something, and my driving skills have deteriorated, then I might consider one just so I would not have to rely upon others for basic errands and what is likely many appointments with physicians.

And, I could still take an occasional road trip!

 

[Skotty]

I would only buy one if I had no other choice (so if I was old and incapable of driving myself anymore).

And I would never use car sharing either, outside of sharing with my own family. If I'm going to ride in car with greasy hair prints and finger smudges on the window, and rolled boogers on the carpet, they better at least be from my own family.

I just don't ever see car sharing catching on. Who would get excited about doing away with their laundry appliances and switching to using laundry mats? If you are doing that, it's because of cost, and you are settling for an inferior experience because society hasn't advanced enough yet.

 

[deonb]

Who would get excited about doing away with their laundry appliances and switching to using laundromats?.

If I can push a button on my phone and the laundromat comes to me 24/7, and waits for me at the ideal location where I want to use it, I have no problem getting rid of my laundry appliances.

 

[Bruin1996]

I would prefer to buy a car where I have the option to drive myself when I feel like it. I don't think Autopilot would allow me to gun it from a red light. However, under normal situations I would go full autonomous for routine freeway or local driving. My coworkers are still mostly amazed that I (mostly) trust my Tesla Autopilot for driving on the freeways. They just haven't experienced a Tesla yet. =) I can't wait for Autopilot 2. I hope that the Model 3's will have it and there will be some way to pay to upgrade the Autopilot 1 on my Model S to Autopilot 2. The future is bright.

 

[BluestarE3]

When I'm no longer able to safely operate a motor vehicle, I would welcome a fully autonomous car to take me places so I'm not isolated and dependent on others. I hope such cars will be available by then. In the meantime, I prefer to drive myself.

 

[Ardie]

We have indeed seen devices evolve over the years, where the newer models have fewer controls than their ancestors.
The good 'ol television set first comes to mind. I can't find the horizontal hold knob anywhere now.

Changes are coming, but they will probably come rather slowly. It took a decade to get rid of most of the cigarette lighters and ash trays. Twenty years and still counting for the spare tire and jack to go away. Fifty years, and standard transmissions haven't disappeared yet.

Only ten years for the steering wheel to disappear? I don't think so.


-- Ardie
Where do I play my CD in this thing?

 

[jeffro01]

Absolutely, I can't wait for the day where I don't have to drive myself.

Jeff

 

[McRat]

I think it's funny folk think they will have a choice. Go buy a car without tire pressure sensors. Everything started as voluntary. ABS, Airbags, Stability Control, etc, all were optional equipment like automatic brakes are today. It's not an if thing, it's a when.

 

[theboom1]

I think it's funny folk think they will have a choice. Go buy a car without tire pressure sensors. Everything started as voluntary. ABS, Airbags, Stability Control, etc, all were optional equipment like automatic brakes are today. It's not an if thing, it's a when.

To you and everyone else that thinks it won't be optional, do you think that my suggestion of have the choice to drive when you want to just with the computers making it it impossible to crash could be a possible compromise?

 

[patrick42h]

I love driving and I would not want to give it up altogether. Things like long road trips or bumper-to-bumper traffic would make (semi)autonomous driving really helpful. I still like driving and having complete control over the car. Maybe when I get old enough that driving won't be safe, a fully autonomous car will make sense for me.

 

[int32_t]

Before I read others' replies, I would have said

In a word, no.

Having read others' replies, I now say

no

until I am too full of years to drive my own self.

I am confident there will never be a car so "smart" that it can drive literally anywhere a human could. Autonomous cars will definitely approach being able to drive effectively and safely in most situations, but there will always be instances where the system simply won't know what to do. Engineers and programmers are smart people but I sincerely doubt that they could conceive a system which would never have no idea what to do.

If autonomous driving becomes mandatory, I might have to move ...

 

[Darren F]

Lawmakers won't need to make it illegal. The insurers will just either stop covering human driven cars or they will make it so cost prohibitive only the super rich will be able to drive themselves. Guess what the super rich don't do today.

 

[jcaspar]

Never unless I was totally blind or lost use of all 4 limbs.

 

[jcaspar]

I think it's funny folk think they will have a choice. Go buy a car without tire pressure sensors. Everything started as voluntary. ABS, Airbags, Stability Control, etc, all were optional equipment like automatic brakes are today. It's not an if thing, it's a when.

We will always have a choice. My pickup has no ABS, no stability control, no airbags and no tire pressure sensors. Maybe not new but there are few new cars that are of interest anyways...

 

[McRat]

To you and everyone else that thinks it won't be optional, do you think that my suggestion of have the choice to drive when you want to just with the computers making it it impossible to crash could be a possible compromise?

As a society we have two choices. To give up our driver's licenses or our cellphones. They are incompatible. Accidents are going up, and it is only a matter of time before we exceed our safety equipment possibilities and fatalities start to rise again.

The #1 selling car is the motoring equivalent of oatmeal, and stick shift cars are going the way of the hand crank start. We really don't like driving. But we LOVE our phones. The #1 service complaint for cars today is cellphone integration issues. Seriously.

We would rather have our phones than cars. Look around when you drive. It's approaching 50% now. Google knows this, Apple knows this, Elon knows this, and GM knows this. What do you think Autonomy, AutoPilot, and SuperCruise are for? You don't need them to 'drive', you need them NOT to 'drive'.

 

[brianman]

As a society we have two choices. To give up our driver's licenses or our cellphones. They are incompatible.

No, they are not. Some humans are incompatible with reasonable behavior. That much is true.

 

[theboom1]

As a society we have two choices. To give up our driver's licenses or our cellphones. They are incompatible. Accidents are going up, and it is only a matter of time before we exceed our safety equipment possibilities and fatalities start to rise again.

The #1 selling car is the motoring equivalent of oatmeal, and stick shift cars are going the way of the hand crank start. We really don't like driving. But we LOVE our phones. The #1 service complaint for cars today is cellphone integration issues. Seriously.

We would rather have our phones than cars. Look around when you drive. It's approaching 50% now. Google knows this, Apple knows this, Elon knows this, and GM knows this. What do you think Autonomy, AutoPilot, and SuperCruise are for? You don't need them to 'drive', you need them NOT to 'drive'.

What does it matter if their on their phones? If the computer sees that your about to crash because your not paying attention, it can take over. Some people do like to drive.

 

[McRat]

What does it matter if their on their phones? ...

See? That's why we can't have nice things!

There are more things in heaven and earth to run your car into, than are dreamt of in your automatic braking.