In the 1960s it was Hertz Rental car that wanted to put you in the driver’s seat. In the 2020s Google will be taking you out of the driver’s seat.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says they agree with Google that a self driving vehicle “will not have a driver in the traditional sense.” In other words we can all move to the back seat.
A car without a steering wheel or brake pedal really frees the human driver to do everything a driver has always wanted to do but was afraid to while driveing: like put on make up or shave in the visor mirror on the way to work. Or send that all important message to a coworker to save you a doughnut from the break room because you are running late. Soon we will be able to text and not worry if we actually see the brake lights up ahead. There will be no more slamming on the brakes and spilling coffee all down your lap.
According to the NHTSA “If no human occupant of the vehicle can actually drive the vehicle, it is more reasonable to identify the driver as whatever (as opposed to whoever) is doing the driving.” This is kind of like if a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it does it make a sound. If no “person” is driving does this mean we no longer need a good neighbor or some lizard to sell us auto insurance or does the car get insurance?
A driverless car kills the mystique of the big block Hemi, the muscle car, the tight steering sports car racing up the winding road where man and machine become one. And what about Hollywood and those fantastic chase scenes. Who can forget the classic car chase in the movie “Bullit.” Steve McQueen horsing a 1968 Ford Mustang GT through the streets of San Francisco chasing a supped up Dodge Charger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31JgMAHVeg0
Driverless cars will end road rage between people but will it introduce us to a new form of rage. There is a lot to be said in turning the driving over to Google. But are we handing over more than the keys to the family car. As in the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey when Dave tries to get the ship’s computer Hal to open the pod bay doors. In this case it would be “Google open the garage door.”
“Sorry Dave I am afraid I a can’t do that.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W5Am-a_xWw
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