Self-driving cars have become underhyped, with Waymo operating an actual functioning taxi service most people don’t seem to know exists that is expanding into two new significant markets. slowboring.com/p/self-driving…
@mattyglesias What's the business model? Waymo costs more than Uber and can't go everywhere Uber can go. Maybe WAYMO would work financially if govt did the advanced mapping of all US roads and made data available to transport companies..just as govt built canals and railroads.
@mattyglesias While we have been skeptical of "self-driving" technology (and deeply critical of the hype) for years (and particularly of the argument that where there is a huge amount of money being spent, it's only a matter of time), we still appreciated this point.
@mattyglesias Waymo is awesome - I wish they would have more cars and go longer distance for less.
@mattyglesias i think tesla's bad "full self driving" has sullied the name of (or at least taken the wind out of the sails of) waymo's actually good self driving.
@mattyglesias They have been testing them in DC too. I’ve generally been seeing them in Metro Center and Gallery Place.
@mattyglesias The technical issues are important and have not been overcome. What has been accomplished is impressive, but there is a long way to go for real safety.
@mattyglesias On yesterday’s Morning Edition coverage of Tesla’s earnings call, the reporter snarkily dismissed Elon’s claims focusing on robotaxis with a “it’s not a thing” but clearly Waymo is already there!
@mattyglesias Ask anyone outside of SF how far we are from FSD and they’ll likely say 3-5 years. But you can call a fully self driven taxi now in SF (and its much safer than human operated cars)
@mattyglesias This was great! I didn't understand the bus comments however. Shouldn't this tech rid of us the bus? Just subsidize low income riders and be done with bus only transit agencies
@mattyglesias People often overestimate what will happen in 5 years and underestimate what will happen in 15 . I think that in 15 years self driving taxis and trucks will be commonplace.