Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Bill Lovotti's avatar

Where are the robobuses?

These could be a solve for the taxi’s geometry problem. They ride on predictable routes, which I imagine would be a benefit for model training (and may help reduce the bad weather problem for robo operation). With lower operating costs, transit providers could provide much more service, improving ridership with a positive feedback loop. With planning and infrastructure investment, this seems doable and perhaps even easier than broad robotaxi deployment.

What am I missing?

Expand full comment
Dilan Esper's avatar

It doesn't bother me to tax robotaxis, but this part did bother me:

"Transit and bike infrastructure would become an even tougher sell, as people take more car trips over longer distances. Already, opponents of transit referenda in Austin and Nashville have pointed to robotaxis as a justification not to invest in new light rail systems."

Here's the thing. A lot of people don't want to ride transit, or ride a bike, or walk. They want comfort. They don't want to be sexually harassed on the subway. Maybe they have a disability and don't want to navigate the maze of stairs and platforms and ramps and elevators. Maybe they don't want to stand on the bus.

And there's no way to not count that as a massive benefit not only of robotaxis, but also of Uber and Lyft. How many women have been not raped because Uber, Lyft, and now robotaxis have been available? (Yes I know there are sexual assault stories involving Uber drivers. They also get caught, and prosecuted, because they are so closely monitored, which is a massive deterrent.)

Transit is great and we should have more of it. But there's very much an eat your spinach attitude here where anyone who doesn't want to ride a bus or a bike is a bad person. It's totally legitimate for people to want comfort and especially isolation from potentially dangerous people. This is especially true for the vulnerable. And when we are costing out these things, the benefit of people NOT having to use public transit if they don't want to is a MASSIVE benefit that needs to be very much weighed in the robotaxis' favor.

Expand full comment
273 more comments...

No posts