Good News on Autonomous Driving Technology

[Axtremus]

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/opinion/self-driving-cars.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5k8.6mjL.ssQBb3byHC2c

And that statistic covers "100 million driverless miles in four American cities." (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Austin.) https://waymo.com/safety/impact/

Right now the technology still costs too much, like $100,000 per car, and not yet available to cars owned by private individuals. Hopefully technology like this will be available and affordable to the general public before I lose the ability to drive myself.

[jon-nyc]

It is available to private individuals in the cities in which it operates. You just open the Waymo app and order one.

I’ve even done it. Wouldn’t be surprised if you have too.

[Axtremus]

I rephrased it as "not available to cars owned by private individuals."

[89th]

Humans are the worst. One day we will look back and think, "wait, humans drove these multi-ton vehicles at 70 mph with zero controls in place?"

I still remember my 6th grade project where you had to innovate, and I designed a system where cars were driverless and drove with maximum efficiency and no accidents because they were controlled by magnets. Then the internet happened, I guess!

[jon-nyc]

You should get a quarter every time Waymo gives someone a ride.

[89th]

Nah, only if they used magnets to keep cars moving and from hitting each other.