Historically speaking I hate change, especially when it comes to technology. I’m what the experts call a “laggard” when it comes to technological advances.
In my social circle I was the last of my friends to get a home computer. I was the last person to get a laptop. It took me seven years to get wifi at my house. I was late to jump on the smartphone bandwagon. I still don’t have Netflix, Hulu, Spotify or any of the fancy entertainment outlets that seem to have deep penetration in our current culture.
Having said all that, when it comes to driverless cars, I am prepared to be an early adapter. That is one technology I plan to be on the forefront of.
We aren’t that far away from from driverless cars from not only being a reality, but also being the norm. I know many of you reading this are thinking “I love to drive, there is no way I’ll ever get a driverless car.” Trust me, you will.
How many staples of life in the past had similar supporters in the face of innovation.
In the transportation industry alone, how many people at the turn of the 20th century said I will never get on a horseless carriage, how many said I will never get in an airplane? How many of you reading this now vowed to never use seat belts in a car, or to have a car with air conditioning, power windows or automatic transmission?
Technology always wins my friends, it always wins.
Listen, I like driving as much as you do. The open road, the freedom of going anywhere you want to go, the ability to just get away. I understand all that. The benefits of the driverless car will make you forget it.
I imagine years ago people scoffed at dishwashers and automatic washers and dryers. “I enjoy going to the creek to do my laundry” was probably an often heard phrase. Some day in the future we are going to look back at cars that had to be actually driven by humans with the same scepticism. People actually used to have to drive themselves around?
Think about the benefits of the driverless car. First, less stress. Driving, while at times an enjoyable experience, quite often is very stressful. When the car drives itself, your stress will evaporate.
Second, think of all the things you can do while the car is driving itself! Eat, text, email, put on makeup, sleep, talk on the phone. All things that are either illegal or dangerous or both when you have to drive yourself.
Perhaps the biggest benefit and the one that will cost me my job? A lot less traffic.
When cars drive themselves, they will also talk to each other. With the computers working in sync with each other, the computers will figure out how get around causing the least traffic delays. I’ll say it again. Driverless cars will mean a virtual traffic free existence.
That will most likely put me out of a job, but you can bet that I’ll be in my driverless car headed to the unemployment office.
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