In class we talked a bit about driverless cars, and I brought up my huge fear of them. I thought I’d make a pro con list to sort out my thoughts.

PROS:

1. Decrease traffic- obviously a good thing

2. Cut down on DUI’s- also obviously a great thing

3. Convenience factor/save time… if people weren’t focused on driving, cars could become a much more social or reflective or educational space. We could spend the 20 minute commute to work watching the news or catching up with friends and really engaging in conversation.

4. General increase in safety and decrease in deaths

5. Able to increase speed limits and save time

CONS:

1. Nobody will have to learn how to drive. This can often be a really fun/special time for parents and kids… I still remember taking driving lessons with my dad, and it was a really good way for us to spend time together in my otherwise tumultuous “I hate my parents” teenage years.

2. Cars will be crazy expensive… at least at first.

3. Increased dependence on technology. What would someone who doesn’t know how to drive do if their driverless car broke down or stopped working and they were totally stuck? I suppose we still have that problem today with cars breaking down on the side of the road, but giving up our ability to transport ourselves and our control over where we want to go/be seems like a huge sacrifice and loss of humanity.

4. There’s a potential for all that data to be put in the wrong hands. Do we really want data to exist on our every move? Trackers in cars raise all kinds of issues about privacy, security, and safety.

5. Kids won’t have to depend on their parents anymore. I remember “running away as a child” and not making it more than a mile down the road before I got tired and went back home to my parents. Parents hold so much authority over children in controlling their ability to leave home. What would happen in a world where teenagers could run out of the house and drive off whenever they wanted?