It looks like this technology is coming (they say within a decade). Assuming cost and safety weren’t factors (i.e. you could afford one and statistically they are no more or less dangerous than current cars), would you buy a car that drives itself?
I would in a second. I hate to drive. I always felt like it was a chore so if there some way I could go wherever I wanted and not have to do it, I would do it. How about you?
Heck yeah, but it would also have to have good collision avoidance.
Absolutely. Not having to pay attention while driving? Awesome. At some point, self-driving cars should be mandatory. It would probably save thousands of lives every year.
My next car.
I would in a second and I love to drive. I think in the early stages the tech will roll out for long-distance interstate driving first, where the computer’s decision-making would be minimal - between GPS, lane-detection and radar-activated braking we’re almost there now - and it would be handy for long boring trips. The real benefit would be when it’s perfected for urban environments, so we can eliminate cab drivers.
And speaking as a motorcyclist, I’d love others to have it since most of the road hazards come from inattentive drivers.
I’d get one. I prefer reading during travel to actually, you know, driving.
I’d get one, but would want it to be safer than my driving.
Shouldn’t be too hard to manage though.
Otara
Would be awesome for long roadtrips to be able to leave the house at about 11 p.m., recline and fall asleep for 7 hours, and wake up the next morning at my destination.
Yep.
“Safer than the average driver” would not be sufficient for me.
I, like most people, think my driving is significantly better than the average 
But if it’s safe, hell yeah. More time to get things done or leisure.
The punch line to the driverless car is that it wouldn’t be aggressive enough for many drivers (stopping at yellow lights, going the speed limit, etc.) and they would therefore override the thing and just drive it themselves.
Well, I do like driving, but if I could get over the psychological barrier of trusting an automated system to drive me (I’m sure eventually I’d get used to it), I would absolutely buy one, especially for those long several hour/day drives.
Personally what I wish would be for mandatory driverless cars, but I doubt that will happen for a very long time. I have long thought that cars should all network into a central regional traffic computer so that traffic can be directed and managed from a central location. The computer would be aware of every car on the road and be able to direct them appropriately. Crashes would probably be nonexistent with the exception of those caused by mechanical failure or something illegally or accidentally entering the roadway. Odds are good that it would vastly reduce traffic jams, increase fuel efficiency, and a myriad of other benefits, because the central computer would be able to redirect traffic on the most efficient routes, so that everyone arrives as quickly as possible to their intended destination. Cars would either have no manual controls at all, or it would only be legal to engage manual control in the event of an extreme emergency; anytime a car’s manual controls were activated it would require a mandatory investigation to see if the driver was justified in activating their manual controls, and if not, a hefty fine would apply - or criminal charges, if someone was injured due to their reckless use of manual controls.
Sigh. Nice dream, but I doubt it will happen. As for current, real driverless car technology? Yeah, sure. If the technology is proven enough to go to market, it’s safe enough for me, so absolutely.
In a heartbeat. Road trips for me are quality nap time. Programmed behavior from my youth when my parents were making cross country road trips. And later reinforced in Jr and High school on those long band trips. This can be a problem when I’m the driver, so absolutely, where do I sign that lease?
I wouldn’t be so sure about that. If driverless cars really were safer it wouldn’t take long before people would see regular driving like we see drink-driving.
Alternatively, it could come in piecemeal: you are required by law to have an emergency braking system, something that wakes you if it detects you’ve fallen asleep etc., and these mandatory aids mount up.
But personally I think the ‘sudden social attitudes change’ scenario is more likely.
Also, for countries where car insurance costs are high (e.g. I’m from the UK, and I’ve paid several times more car insurance than the cost of buying the actual cars), it would make a huge difference to be able to write off most or all of that cost.
Would anyone care sufficiently about manual drive to pay that extra expense?
Absolutely. I love to drive, but I’m getting older and I can tell my reflexes are slowing. I hope I can hold out till these cars are available.
YES because I suck at driving.
Oh, yeah - driving is something I learned to do only because it’s a useful tool and not having driving privileges is a pain in the ass in this country. I happily lived 15 years of my adult life without owning a car when I had access to decent mass transit.
^ This.
Remember the OP’s scenario: the automatic cars are, statistically, equally safe/hazardous as conventional cars. In other words, this question is all about whether you prefer being in control of your vehicle, or ceding that control to an external agent.
My wife drives, but doesn’t care for it; I do all of the driving on road trips. I’m sure she’d love an automatic car.
Me? I don’t even like a car that shifts for me, and I even find stability control irritating. I don’t think I’d enjoy being in an autopiloted car.
I’d much rather look at the scenery than worry about driving, so I’d buy one, but my husband would object strenuously. He flies into a rage whenever he sees self-driving cars mentioned on the news.
And give up one of my genuine pleasures in life?! Not a fucking chance.