If you think governments can't simply legislate away people's freedom to drive in the service of corporate profits or what's "best for them", you haven't read the news lately.

"If you think governments can't simply legislate away people's freedom to drive"

Less drunk, distracted, angry, and/or sleepy drivers on public roads, with overall significantly less crashes? Sign me up!

That would be an ideal outcome, but plenty of people would need to be economically or legally forced. Cross-reference to vaccines.

Freedom clearly does not work in a self-centered society. We wouldn't need such drastic actions if enough people voluntarily did the right things. But not enough do, so here we are.

I'm really beginning to get sick of seeing people use the word "freedom" when they clearly mean "no personal responsibility while living in a society among other people".

You must be reading different news. Governments (especially the US) can't even get people to stay at home for a while to avoid a deadly disease.

It's borderline impossible that they will "legislate away people's freedom to drive" anytime soon.

Even if a startup appeared tomorrow that could unequivocally show that they have a perfect self-driving car that runs on fairy dust and cleans up cities as it goes, people would still demand their right to drive ICEs.

At least here in Germany, even "let's maybe have a speed limit on all the Autobahns" is highly contested. (And one half-joking suggestion has been to introduce a speed limit only for ICE cars as a motivation to go electric)

It's funny how Americans seem to have accepted the idea that corporations control their political life

I wouldn't say agreed with, but mostly accepted a reality they have no power to change.