Driverless cars may replace the need for light rail, streetcars or BRT. The technology sounds promising and uses the infrastructure already in place. If the issues of privacy and government corruption by powerful political insiders can be solved, we will have the possibility for a better future than is being presented to us now. It's the second part that is so difficult to accomplish. Even those with good intentions create laws and regulations that tyrannizes the masses. If... if the system were privatized... it would respond to the market and not to government regulation and serve its customers. Shouldn't that be true for all markets?
This article gives an inspiring look into the future as it is evolving today.
Ames Tribune 5/10/12
Google puts self-driving cars on the streets
Another view is that automated cars will usher in more loss of personal privacy and create opportunities for the politically powerful and connected to have semi self-driven autos able to provide a wide range of travel, while the plebes are relegated to the automated kind, their transportation restricted to preferred routes only.
Forbes 3/13/12
Driverless Cars for All: An Idea More Dangerous Than Driving
The section about not needing rail to meet pollution goals is so accurate but try to discuss that with GHGer. No, we have to do more the GHG people say. When will more ever be enough?
ReplyDeleteThe politicians are the problem and that starts right here in L.O. At the next election, we should hold those in office accountable for what they have done, not listen to their platitudes about what they will do. Start with City Council and work your way up.
It's a tough subject to get one's head around. Very few people have an inkling about what the future looks like with this kind of development. Professional planners know more about this than citizen politicians, so it is almost impossible for the public to have a level playing field in the land use game. Please help educate your elected representatives - it really is within the power of our city council to stop this train wreck - but be specific about how pieces of the comp plan (and codes ) do damage. Unfortunately that means digging into some detailed stuff and most people don't have the time for it.
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