One of the latest additions to downtown Las Vegas is a 15-person driverless, electric van, which circles a few city blocks picking up and dropping off curious passengers. The van was tested in Switzerland and London prior to making its debut in the United States. The van is battery-powered and hits a maximum speed of 28 miles per hour. The stereoscopic sensors allow the vehicle to navigate the challenging East Fremont Street traffic while avoiding the unruly and sometimes intoxicated pedestrians.
Shortly after its launch the van got into an accident with a delivery truck. The 11 passengers were fine and no one was injured, but the driver of the truck was cited for “illegal backing” – autonomous vehicles “1”, humans “0”. I have been reading and hearing a great deal about driverless technology and for the most part it seemed like a distant, futuristic dream. However, being able to see and touch the technology has changed my views on how quickly this technology could be adopted. Autonomous, electric vehicle technology will be increasingly disruptive.
Americans have a love affair with their vehicles – driving is deeply intertwined in our culture and identity. Most of us use our driver’s license as our primary form of identification. There are more than 3.5 million truck drivers and countless others who drive vehicles for a living who could eventually lose their jobs.
It is estimated that the average American spends 15 percent of their annual income on purchasing and maintaining their cars. We have designed our neighborhoods and communities with costly infrastructure to support the idea that everyone aspires to own their own car – roads, parking lots, garages, law enforcement, oil/gas infrastructure, car insurance, car parts stores and repair shops.
Although there will undoubtedly be powerful opponents of rapid adoption, resistance appears to be futile. The notion of redirecting the 300 hours the average American spends in their car each year, dramatically reducing the cost of transportation and eliminating the need for expensive infrastructure is truly compelling. The ultimate impact this technology has on our way of life and built environment remains unclear. However, as my mom used to say, “Hold on to your britches!”