Sadly my passion for cars have waned considerably. But here's the thing. I honestly feel that the age of actually driving cars is short (in a relative term) lived. Meaning, there are already cars that can practically dive themselves, with lane position sensors, adaptive cruise control and safety breaking. If you've ever played with apps like Waze, Google Maps, etc. we essentially have GPS tracking in every car/mobile phone. We are not that far off to where cars will have the ability to drive themselves to a location and interact with each other in autonomous ways so that it becomes a self driving system. Basically a network governed by individual sets of "rules" rather than a giant master computer trying to control everything. In that way, as long as a car knows its own rules (stay in lane, don't crash, etc.) and it knows it's position relative to other cars and their "rules" then it shouldn't be too create a network of self driving cars. Obviously it will be a gradual transition where cars will have to have both functionality but I can foresee very soon HOV lanes being converted over to self driving car lanes so that once you get into that lane, the car takes over. Once off, you would drive cars normally.
How great would it be to be able to watch TV or do work while your car drives itself. However, that would mean the end of car aesthetics as we know it. Performance and looks will give way to functionality and efficiency. Cars will begin to look more like minivans or buses as what's inside the car becomes more important than what's on the outside or in the engine since you'll probably eating food, doing work, watching TV or possibly taking a shower, all within your "car" as it drives itself to work. I'm sure there will still be fancy performance cars, but more for luxury, pleasure and sport rather than actual transportation. Like how people now shoot at clay targets with shotguns as opposed to using them for actually hunting animals for food. In that sense, more and more I'm starting to see cars for their functionality rather than aesthetics and drive-ability.
*Come Debbie Downer, it's time for us to leave. Captain Comedown away!!! :wink: :biggrin:
