• Maggoty@lemmy.world
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    15 hours ago

    There’s an inherent problem here.

    He is actually behind the game on self driving taxis. Hell everyone except the big car manufacturers are behind the game for one simple reason.

    The second it’s actually feasible Ford, GM, and Stellantis are going to stop selling to rideshare and rental companies. They will offer their own services with these cars. Even personal vehicles are going to shoot way up in price and will only be available on a rental basis to normal people. Actually owning your own car will be a luxury that only the upper class can afford. 90% of America will wake up and catch their scheduled Ford Share Commute (15% off if you agree to ride with strangers!) to work.

    Tesla has always been in a race with the big 3. That’s why they message on self driving so incessantly even though they don’t actually have it yet. But you know who’s already doing trust trials? GM, they own Cruise. Tesla is going implode when they officially lose this race. We’ll also all be the poorer for it because it will be more expensive than owning a car.

    If you want to make a million dollars easy, look into the possibility of the world’s most basic, power nothing, battery electric vehicle with an emergency generator. Whenever this hits (it depends on a couple tech and trust breakthroughs) those things will sell faster than they can get made. And it would absolutely poison pill the business plan the Big 3 are working on together.

    • Zorque@lemmy.world
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      13 hours ago

      New cars are already a luxury only the upper class can afford. Unless this somehow affects the used car market I don’t think that’s the biggest worry.

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        13 hours ago

        Versa is 18k, we’re not nearly there. As far as the supply of used cars, there will be two things. First, forced switchover to electric will mean every gas car that leaves the road will not return without a lot of time and money to convert them. Second, when the cost of cars rises and supply restricts that means the used electric cars will see their price rise too. But you’re right that in the medium term used cars will keep us going. It’s the decade plus period that’s an issue, where supply constricts further and prices rise out of where most consumers can reach.