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A comment on Lyft gaining on Uber as it spends big on growth. Parent comment

Re:Lyft gaining on Uber as it spends big on growth by ams6110 on Saturday April 16, 2016 @09:25PM (#11513078)
Not clear to me how a driverless car has any advantage for a senior vs. Uber or Lyft with a driver. In fact it seems less desirable, as the human driver could help the elderly passenger in and out of the vehicle, help with walkers or wheelchairs, etc.
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Re:Lyft gaining on Uber as it spends big on growth by aab0 on Saturday April 16, 2016 @10:16PM (#11513199)
The hope is that autonomous cars will be much cheaper once you take out the human element; when a taxi costs $30 for a routine trip, and Uber/Lyft still have to pay their drivers >minimum-wage, you cannot cater to the elder niche of doing groceries and making regular doctor trips, not to mention the useful aspect of 24/7 coverage.

There's also the psychological issues: elderly people don't want to be a 'burden' or rely on strangers, and autonomous cars neatly solve both issues.

[ Parent | on HN ]