What a Driverless Future Means for Society and Investors

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We’ve all heard about driverless cars but have you spent a minute yet picturing yourself speeding down the highway without having a steering wheel to hold in front of you? 

Driverless cars may be more than just a tech upgrade to our cars. Nobody is demanding the technology for the good of the people, while some arguments say its for safety there have been numerous accounts of accidents and questions on how to program morality. So there must be other motivations driving this trend.

If they do become the norm, we might start noticing some changes to things that most of us take for granted. For example, billboards and bus stop ads may start fading into obscurity and your car might get to know you better than your best friend.

The changes it will bring are largely unknown. We mainly hear in the news that AI will replace many jobs, yet with all this change comes bigger questions about our information, safety, and what else we might lose along the way.

Cars are more than just a means of transportation, they are a cornerstone of human innovation and a technology that has not only changed the way we move but also the way we connect, communicate, and create memories from experiences with it. Humanity and technology in general are interconnected because they continuously evolve and influence each other as they progress along the infinite road of innovation. Like Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan says, technology isn’t just a tool to help us, it is an extension of us.

New methods of consuming media are on the horizon, especially if automated automobiles become the new dominant form of transportation. Public transit systems like subways and streetcars—long-standing hubs for advertising—could lose relevance as more commuters use autonomous cars, and with them, the revenue generated from ads on trains, buses, and stations. This potential shift might not only lead to the disappearance of transit-based ads but also force transit agencies to increase fares for commuters in order to offset the losses. 

Advertisements ranging from blockbuster movies and multinational brands to small local businesses like air duct cleaning services and real estate agents are staples to public transportation spaces. These ads are placed on buses, subway cars, stations, and even individual stops, because many local businesses rely heavily on the exposure they get from local traffic to capture the attention of their community. However, with the rise of automated vehicles removing the need for drivers to look outside, traditional advertising mediums such as billboards, vehicle wraps, and road signs could face the abyss. This shift would deal a significant blow to advertisers and industries, particularly local businesses, that depend on these platforms for visibility.

Before phones and computers, and even televisions; there were radios. It’s amazing how well the technology has held up with today’s tech. One of the main reasons is because it still makes sense to have a radio in the car as a source of entertainment and information while having to focus on driving. With lots of radio stations to choose from, people can find whatever kind of information or music they were into, offering a level of personalization over media that was revolutionary during its early years. Although radio today has taken a backseat recently in cars as people now prefer to sync their devices and stream their own music or podcasts to avoid interruptions and ads. The shift to driverless cars will likely lead to a sharp decline in radio listeners as more time can be spent looking at personal devices, reducing ad revenue for radio stations. 

This is harmful to local businesses who use local radio for advertising, but also larger corporations that have seen outstanding success with catchy radio slogans. As drivers gain more control over their media choices in driverless cars, the radio industry may struggle to maintain its relevance in the new era of personal devices with personalized content. Screen time will skyrocket though, and radio stations still have a chance at adapting to this emerging trend. 

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Road rage and incidents where people get out of the car and stop traffic might decline. People will no longer be frustrated by other human drivers, but they may grow frustrated with the AI's decision-making, especially if it's perceived as erratic or slow in traffic. While some might find relief in no longer worrying about accidents or rising insurance premiums, the lack of control over the vehicle's actions could lead to new forms of frustration. The unpredictability of AI and its likely not driving using the same techniques humans use in traffic could create a whole new set of challenges for testing drivers' patience and tolerance for automated technologies. 

From a technological determinist view automated vehicles drive innovation, and therefore their adoption will boost the economy. Robotaxis are the hardware being promoted and the software inside the cars may be just as profitable (if not more). Startups today seeking scalable business models are focusing almost entirely on software-oriented businesses, constantly innovating new ways of monetizing information. As a result, the accessibility to jobs online is increasing, but only to those who are capable enough to be computer proficient. At the same time physical, low-skill jobs like being a driver, are at higher risk to AI and automation, as intellectual capital gains more value.

Jobs that require a variety of tasks and the ability to adapt will remain as automation replaces more jobs. The more complexity, variations and adaptations needed in the job will be less at risk from automation than simple and repetitive ones. The rise of AI and driverless cars won’t necessarily replace jobs entirely; rather, it will transform them. This shift will create new demands and tasks for many workers, meaning focusing on aspects of their jobs they might not have previously considered while also taking on new responsibilities created by the technology’s integration into their work. 

This view wants you to think of it this way: as one problem is solved by new AI technology, two new requirements will emerge. The justification for these changes is that the new methods are seen as improvements over the old, driven by technological advancements that make work more efficient and effective, which benefits the economy and everyone in society.

Currently, there is growing concern about individuals in low skill jobs since these roles are most vulnerable to technological innovation and automation. As time and technology inevitably progress, automation will surely creep up the minimum job IQ ladder and more people will be replaced starting at simpler jobs. Eventually it will threaten increasingly complex jobs, making it essential for workers to continuously develop their skills and understanding of emerging technologies to remain employable. 

There was a case study conducted by AI researcher Eva Fraedrich asking drivers about their early experiences with vehicles and to reflect on the uncertainty of present day driving with autonomous cars. Most of them said that learning to drive was a large part of their socialization processes as young adults. Most notably, they gained crucial life qualities of independence and discretion to manage power by controlling a motor vehicle. This experiment offered insight into the degree of interconnectedness between technology and humans, specifically automobiles and its influence on the socialization process of countless today and in the past. It is profoundly evident that people place value on driving vehicles, especially as propagated in western film society, whereas elemental principles to the human psyche are not just vehicle-oriented but are intensely ingrained within individuals’ socialization and culture throughout their lives.

Ideas of implementing autonomous automobiles are prevalent, but the probability of adoption is constrained by the degree to which individuals attribute value to their car usage. Automation is not a new technology, and the concept of driverless cars isn't either. The recent surge in popularity for driverless cars is not explainable by society demanding them or discussing a need for them. The strong recent influence of autonomous mobilities can be attributed to the growing need for accessible and shareable information delivered through technologically oriented automated mobilities consisting of diverse systems of information exchanging and transferring that are attempting to contribute to the value of these resources. To break it down, these technologies are built to facilitate the exchange and transfer of data, enabling a seamless flow of information between vehicles, infrastructure, and users. This interconnectedness of information enhances the functionality and efficiency of transportation but also contributes to the overall value of these resources by collecting drivers and vehicles personal data, driving habits, and geo locations to offer increasingly personalized experiences. As these systems evolve, the sharing and processing of information will become even more integral to their success and broader societal impact according to technological deterministic views. Perhaps even the entire driving and advertising landscape is set for a shake up. 

As ride sharing services like Uber adopt this technology, their apps will change as they will require new forms of approval and verification to access and use their automated cars. Users will likely have to share more personal data to ensure validity of riders and safety in absence of a driver. The technology behind shared automated mobilities and the confidential information they generate  must be carefully integrated with broader practices of privatization and regulatory frameworks. 

Ensuring that information is protected while still being shared for efficiency and safety requires robust policies that also consider marginalized communities for things like availability, targeted hot-zone pricing and time-sensitive pricing practices. This will be crucial in regulating and controlling the future of autonomous automobile practices, ensuring that technology serves everyone while safeguarding personal and sensitive data.

Even personal automated cars must be viewed through the lens of data privacy and security. These cars will not only collect GPS data about routes, traffic accidents, and timing but will also track road conditions, charting landscapes, and rider preferences. Without a driver, cars will need a way of knowing when the owner of the car wants to use it and when to start driving. This will assuredly lead to an increase in the amount of personalized data needed to start and use the vehicle, which, while enhancing convenience, also opens the door for privacy risks and a new door for hackers to steal sensitive information about you, your family and your activities. The deeper integration of these vehicles with personal data with sensitive information about our identity and finances raises concerns about the ease of data theft or misuse. Without strong safeguards in place, the very technological advancements meant to improve transportation could end up making privacy and security issues worse.

We must continue to ask, in light of technological determinism, what problems is this technology and all of its integrations solving from our current modes of transportation. What's the need for driverless cars aside from advancing technology for the sake of advancements and monetary gain? 

Perhaps it’s because traditional city design and urban methods of transportation have produced countless negative externalities such as excessive resource usage, air pollution and carbon emissions, but more precisely traffic congestion, road accidents, and a decrease in productivity.

When they begin implementation, they will likely exist alongside all other current forms of transportation and will not replace any of them. The data driverless cars obtain about road conditions can help offset many negative externalities of current driving practices and be used to gather counterarguments against all modes of traditional transport in favor of automated mobilities. 

Concluding thoughts: 

Most drivers now already have connected devices on their bikes and in their cars, so they can be updated on more accurate data by autonomous vehicles. There’s also been significant technological advancements in safety features of transportation since helmets and seatbelts to advanced sensing braking and accident aversion systems. The number of automobile fatalities annually has decreased significantly since 1997, to which must be attributed to technological advancement of safety features and infrastructure developments. While there is still yet to be thoroughly debated arguments regarding the safety and implementation of driverless car technology, the fact that presents itself for an idealistic future of transportation and safer roads is potentially entrusted in automation given the technological deterministic perspective can satisfy the idea that safety increases as we develop better technologies. Policies that govern the sharing of information are vital to this reality, and physical safety and genuine trust in the mechanics is yet to be completely accepted.

What do you think? It seems inevitable that we'll adopt them, even without full consensus. Are they being created for the benefit of humanity, or just because we can innovate for the sake of innovating itself? Does it matter, since sometimes good things come from unintended ways?