No brakes? And it never occurred to the writer to explain how exactly that will work?
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Automated cars. Either we all have them, or no one has them.
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Amazing that when it comes to designing a car for themselves to have a constant revenue stream, GM designs a car that will last a million miles. But the car they built for you? I’ve never heard of a single GM car lasting over 200k. Such a gross statement on their priorities.
@Jeremy - one reason they can announce a target like that is that the self-driving cars are all based on fully electric EV platforms. There are far fewer moving parts.
EVs (the kinds humans drive) are expected to have longer lifetimes and lower service requirements. That's good for owners, but again, there will be shifts in employment. A mechanic today would do well to start learning up on power electronics, and over time that's a profession that will shrink as the older vehicles are replaced.
And there's enough talk about million-mile batteries that it's evident that the power trains will go a long, long time.
https://cleantechnica.com/2019/09/09/jeff-dahn-claims-new-pouch-cells-could-be-good-for-1-million-miles/
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Self driving cars are a solution to a nonexistent problem. Will it reduce congestion on our crowded roads?, no.
We should be investing in mass transit and ways to extract people from cars.
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@Simon Malouf
When they are used for carpooling they will help immensely with congestion. And they will be--ride share is the future. Public transit is a pipe dream; it's far too expensive in California. Just look at SF's ridiculous Central Subway fiasco.
Reminds me of the future of fusion energy.
"fusion energy is 30 years away—and always will be."
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@DubbinAround - I wrote a school paper about that in the mid-70s. It was just around the corner then.
We'll see which arrives first - full level-5 self-driving vehicles, or commercial fusion power.
https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/compact-fusion.html
Maybe the self driving cars will be fusion powered - in about 30 years?
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This is so exciting! The future is bright indeed. I can't wait to give up my personal car and my driver's license (and all that insurance). Can you imagine being able to work or play a board game or just cuddle on the way to dinner? Awesome.
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Mass transit would be even better with walkable cities. We should stop designing infrastructure prioritizing cars.
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@adicicco :
Play a board game or cuddle? You must really be ancient.
Wouldn't that time be better spent updating your Facebook page or perusing your twitter feed or texting or taking selfies downloading whatever the new hot app of the day might be?
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Unless they invent new ways of automating cars I know I will never see one in my neighborhood. My road doesn’t have stripes painted on it, then you have to go aways on my dirt driveway.
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I’m retired. My future will consist of a home with robots to do everything. Food to be delivered by vehicle with no driver and put in proper places by my #1 robot, Jeeves.
My Cruise (vehicle) will text me that it is in driveway to transport me to my doctors appointment.
No more driver’s license and no cash ever needed. Oh, I’m going to be bored.
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