Re:The View from the Front Seat of the Google Self-Driving Car
by branchan on Monday May 11, 2015 @05:55PM
(#9528110)
Except it will never be cheaper than public transportation. If public transportation is available, they will take public transportation. If public transportation is not available, neither will be driverless taxis.
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Re:The View from the Front Seat of the Google Self-Driving Car
by shkkmo on Monday May 11, 2015 @06:02PM
(#9528145)
That could be true... assuming that the government is able to adopt innovations and cost saving measures across all of their public transit systems fast enough to keep up with price drops from private industry.
I suspect that will not be the case. While public transportation may catch up on price (if the political will exists to push it there), I do think there will be a period of time where hailing a self driving car will be cheaper than some or most public transit options.
Re:The View from the Front Seat of the Google Self-Driving Car
by mavhc on Tuesday May 12, 2015 @07:36AM
(#9530931)
Will there be a difference between a self driving 1-5 person machine and a self driving 5-1000 person machine?
A robotaxi can take you to the local robobus hub, which drives you to the local robotrain point, whereupon a Just In Time (un)scheduled train will leave, as all journeys can be coordinated.
Re:The View from the Front Seat of the Google Self-Driving Car
by EvanAnderson on Monday May 11, 2015 @07:09PM
(#9528453)
I can't imagine that there won't be strong efforts made by any entrants into the individual autocar market not to hinder the penetration of new public transit systems, and to hobble existing systems.
Re:The View from the Front Seat of the Google Self-Driving Car
by Houshalter on Tuesday May 12, 2015 @04:46PM
(#9534745)
Why not? If driverless taxis are cheap enough, even a small town or rural area could have some. Wheras public transportation is available only in very large cities.