Driverless Cars Will Just Add To Traffic Congestion

Kevin Drum believes in the future of driverless cars, trucks, and buses. Atrios thinks otherwise. I have my doubts that they will ever work as advertised. But, even if I accept Drum’s premises, it seems to ignore the problem of distribution and traffic. If driverless buses mean cheaper buses and cheaper buses mean buses can run more frequently, it still does not mean that it will still be affordable to reach underserved low-density areas. And, in high density areas, more buses may actually mean more congestion. But I think his final point about the “last mile” is even more debatable. The idea that there will be this fleet of cars that track your progress on mass transit and then show up to take you the “last mile” seems highly unrealistic. Where, exactly, is this fleet of cars going to be waiting when no one wants them? What happens when dozens of people arrive at a mass transit hub wanting to be taken the “last mile”? Are there really going to be dozens of cars available for them and won’t that just add to traffic congestion? And, lastly, do you really think that this “last mile” service is really going to be affordable for those underserved low density residents who actually need it more than most? More likely, it is likely to be a pricey service that will primarily benefit richer travelers. In the meantime, as Atrios points out, taxpayers will be subsidizing this technology through improved signage at minimum.