Can you imagine a cab without a driver? Like it or not, driverless cars are going to be hitting the streets over the next few years. Yesterday, Google unveiled their first prototype of a completely driverless cars, which are missing features such as steering wheels and gas pedals. Google believes driverless cars are the safer future of commuting.
The takeover of the cab industry has already started with mobile apps like Uber on the rise. These apps allow users to request service easily on their smart phone and use a seamless payment process, which simplifies the typical way we interact with cabs today. Collaboration between Google and Uber leaves us with a cab service without cab drivers.
This seems wild at first, but after some thought it makes a lot of sense. Cabs will be cheaper without the need to pay a driver. More green, because they will no longer need to drive around in search of their next patron. More accessible in places where they may not be constantly passing by. It may be a few years away, but I see this as being one of the most significant improvements that can come from driverless cars.
What Sparks Our Fire: The future is fast approaching and the fear/excitement associated with having an empty cab picking us up to take us where we need to go is not far off.
What other implications can you see coming from the wide spread use of driverless cars?