Public transit requires dedicated routes, which sucks if it doesn't go where you want.

Self-driving taxis can pick up multiple people going to the same place and take them there no matter where they want to go.

I agree that to some degree that public transport can't solve all issues, but it can get you far enough that congestion becomes much less severe. It should be the primary means, not the only.

Of course the US has a lot more problems with implementing public transport that aren't easy to solve and are rooted in zoning/city planning. Single family home suburbs don't have the density to justify public transit.

But expanding public transit is not something a private company can really do. If you can figure out a way to get governments to drastically expand public transit, that'd be great. Until then, it's nice seeing a company doing something that might help.

Elon isn't in charge of that. Various government officials that the people elect are. How well is that working out?

I'm glad that someone is forcing the move away from fossil fuels. Because even in a "progressive" bike friendly town, I see how popular that is. Not very, even among the young and childless.

And self-driving doesn't have much to do with saving the environment. It's about saving lives, considering the massive number of people killed and injured by cars every year. As far as ways to get rich and things for the wealthy to spend their time and money on, that's a pretty good choice in my book.

Elon has practically admitted that he put the Hyperloop proposal forward to delay California HSR.

https://twitter.com/parismarx/status/1167410460125097990