LOL as well. We'll have self driving F1 races...
Bolting the suspension to the engine block from the Lotus 49 was relevant to road cars since when? That is mostly marketing baloony that things are in any way relevant. The oils, fluids, designs, far out price any road car.
It will happen before that, in Europe and Japan at least; I don't know about the US. Already there are plans to replace taxis by fleets of driverless vehicles in some European cities. Development is advancing all the time; contactless battery recharging is almost cracked, control by road wiring and GPS is also cracked, etc... Actually, the danger for driverless vehicles are driven vehicles that are still subject to human errors.
Quite the opposite...government will mandate self-driving capability followed by self-driving mandate. This won't be a case of the market adopting them over time. Think tanks are already estimating that self-drivers will lower highway deaths by 90%. Self-driving cars will be pushed as a safety issue, and the car manufacturers, tech companies, insurance companies and the cradle-to-grave nanny-state types will push the legislation and big government types will be more than happy to take credit for making our lives safer. Imagine the TV ads with children crying while holding photos of their dead parents whose lives could have been spared by self-driving cars. Who will run an ad that says, "Screw your dead mom, I want to drive fast on a twisty road."
+1 People are more safety conscious generation after generation. Driverless vehicles will regulate the traffic to avoid damage, driving offenses, accidents, casualties, hospital treatments, repairs, insurance claims and time wasted ; they will be very attractive to future governments and institutions. We know it will make sense for them.
You think F1 isn't in trouble? Take a look at the stands, which they try and never show on tv, that are empty at every race. Take a look at the teams that are falling apart. It is a boring, predictable "spectacle" with "cars" that sound like crap. I have been a fan for 30+ years and have attended many races. Now..its a snooze fest with cars that lull you to sleep with the drone they make.
+1 Silverstone’s future as Brit GP host under threat http://planetf1.com/news/silverstones-future-as-brit-gp-host-under-threat/
General Motors plans drive into autonomous cars General Motors plans drive into autonomous cars - BBC News General Motors plans to unveil a self-driving car next year as it embarks on a major push into new technology. 100 years off ? No, next year !!!
Liberty requires work to uphold, if we want to be drivers, we have to be focused and alert. That doesn't happen, driverless cars will be MUCH MUCH safer than drivers.
