I've watched the autonomous vehicles space for some time. I love my cars. I love driving. I love going fast over the speed limit, while considering the other drivers on the road. There is an emotional connection I feel when driving. I don't see this emotional aspect addressed in autonomous driving.
Cars were the first piece of technology that was an extension of my self. My hand on the stickshift, I feel the subtle vibrations of the road, the rpms, the engine. My fingers become the tires on the road. Sticky to the pavement. Don't even get me started on the diversity of road - concrete, blacktop, asphalt, gravel, sand and variety or gratings - metal or grooved, if you're lucky a railroad tie covered bridge in Iowa.
I drive a manual. I like having the control to place the car in a specific gear. Downshift for more power. Upshift to give the engine a break or for long roadtrips. My manual turbo has been good to me. I could take better care of her.
Recently, I focused my interest. As happened with money, relationships, intimacy and wearable technology, I am consuming everything on autonomous cars. Crystalizing my thoughts by talking with people. A few weeks ago, I interviewed Alex Roy for an upcoming podcast. I first heard about Alex from his notoriety blasting the Coast to Coast record. NY to LA in 31 hours.
(Sidenote: I deeply longed for those late nights on the unofficial Malibu track - Piuma, Stunt, Mulholland. Although I have not (and would not) attempt a cross-country record, I have a few speed stories of my own. Sidenote to the sidenote: speed with safety.)
If you're an early reader of this blog - you know I've written many words on my love of driving and roadtrips.
It will be no surprise, that I am skeptical about autonomous vehicles. Where is the passion? Why so much the focus on safety? The use case is, people want to get from A to B as safely as possible. I get that. But this whole paradigm forgets the passion, the identity, the experience of driving. It's part of America.
Will a self driving car give the same feeling I have when driving out the 62, 10pm, Milky Way overhead, a cool 78 degree wind whipping my hair? My hand on the stick, I feel the power engage as I downshift, and express itself as my foot presses the accelerator. Not to mention the sweet pause of disengagement when I engage the clutch and placing the gear softly in place, like falling into my temperpedic bed after a long day.
I concede that autonomous vehicles will be safer; but I'm afraid they'll kill the passion - the emotional experience I so deeply love.
How can we balance the benefits of technology to extend these emotional experiences?
I think, and I could be wrong here (because I don't love driving the way you do) that the two can live in harmony. Here's why:
When you are driving for the sake of driving, you are immersed and your focus is on what your body and mind must do to derive maximum connection to the road and car. While you may be driving fast and aggressively, you are probably at your safest, because you are singularly focused on the act.
I would posit that 80% or more of passenger vehicle drivers are NOT in that state. Rather, they're distracted by work, children, relationships, etc. In other words, they're mostly on autopilot -- until there's a problem.
If we could take that 80% of drivers and put them in self-driving cars, while allowing you the freedom to take open up your [sexy car of choice] while fully engaged in the act, wouldn't that be the optimal thing?
xx
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Posted by: Fatemehx2 | July 26, 2015 at 10:26 PM