Suburban robo taxis where say the first 5km-10km the cost is negligible would revolutionise cities.
Assuming 90% of the population lives within that sort or distance to a rapid train system or to the shops, to family members or to places of recreation(parks, beaches etc)
I don’t see anywhere that ‘cost negligible’ is ever going to be a thing.
Can you imagine how many deplorable people will just destroy the cars. Bike share and e scooters get launched into the Yarra on a regular basis. Cars would be just as bad.
Everyone wants a clip of the ticket, and not just a little clip, they want a chunk.
If people are smart enough to program cars to overcome every circumstance (and I saw two very unlikely events, and heard of an even more unlikely one that the programming successfully countered) then they are likely to have foresee this obvious one.
You have to register with a credit card and are told they video the trip. They also warn not to interfere with the car. I suppose some people will get around this, but most are honest.
Yeah i guess.
Tesla and a few others are patenting and testing self cleaning cabins.
They will be akin to catching a bus than a clean modern uber.
Im sure if paying by credit card too its very easy to hock users who trash a cab.(easily detectable via in taxi camera).
And they will be as cheap as people are prepared to pay compared to the alternatives.
I can easily see operating costs to be low in emerging markets.
Seen the clips on youtube where people put a witches hat on either side of the auto taxi and it cant move anymore?
Report to base and send someone out to service as they would a breakdown.(tyres, electrical fault etc)
Would all be automatically reported when clear its not moving.
Send external video to law enforcement.
Still a shitload cheaper service to offer than a car with a human driver and probably not that much more than a bus.(for cost of carrying per pax)
Yes. Also was in the car for a live experience where workers were working on resurfacing a pedestrian crossing, with witches hats etc, (And here I mean real witches hats, not Essington players).
Normally the Waymo would just stop if it “saw” anyone near an intersection, let alone a pedestrian crossing. Normally the workers would wave cars through, but these ones weren’t. The Way figured it out for itself and got through easily.
So as I said above, it has had VERY impressive programming that anticipates even extremely unlikely circumstances.
Tech is good. Human mischief is better.
Right
Id put most human drivers as potential traffic hazards.
Moving at speed with a 2 tonne metal box through the city
Thats every tesla or ford f150 driver today.
I guess the issue is liability. That tesla and f150 driver can be locked up.
What about when the waymo goes rogue?
They have public liability insurance and if the technology is deemed less reliable than the average driver in the same situation? Operating licence suspended?
I wasnt arguing against. I’m just saying, till we have all this kind of stuff sorted out it will be hard to implement properly.
Tesla is getting pretty close.
I’m liking the Polestar 4. I think I would pull the trigger if I can get the single motor version with the plus pack for under the luxury car tax threshold of $91k ish.
Why are they so expensive?
I drove one and it was a nice car, but not $90000 nice
Pretend Swedish car, made in China.
You drove it in China I assume. Cars there are 30 to 50% cheaper due to tarrifs, transport costs, compliance, competition, etc…
What is an EV that is equivalent to the Polestar 4 that is so much cheaper?
Top spec Kia, Hyundai’s are around that price. Genesis models cost more. Even Tesla model 3 and Y’s are up around that price in top trim levels are they not?
I’m not interested in base model BYD atto 3 or seal, Tesla’s, or MG’s at the bottom of the market $45 to $60k price point.
On a novated lease my true cost for a 90k car will be around $60k
Kia EV6 GT-Line RWD $$84k
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Single motor EPIC grade with servicing $91k
Genesis GV60 $103+ for base model
As to why the Polestar is so expensive…
100kw battery with over 600km range would be a decent chunk considering most other cars have 60 to 80kw batteries.
I know was just musing about the rationale for the people who are speaking in the video.
I think the key would be speed limiting them.
Then surely with very good technology they are better for pedestrians, cyclists motorcyclists and other road users.
I wouldnt mind waymos or xooms etc cruising about our burbs at say 30km/h just ensure they stay off motorways.
If i could go say two suburbs over at the cost of a bus fare say at the drop of a hat it will really make many people more mobile. Would be a fantastic service.
And its only going to work as a cheap service. Anything expensive and you would want a driver with a nice vehicle. The technology doesnt make things any nicer than what we already have. Just potentially cheaper.
Waymo charges as much if to more than Lyft or Uber. Maybe they have to recover their investment before dropping prices.
The technology Waymo has DOES “make things nicer”. It is much more relaxing being a passenger in a Waymo.
