Self Driving Vehicles are starting testing nearby. Pittsburgh has test vehicles, and the Ohio Turnpike is hosting a testing program as well. It makes me wonder what the future is going to be like when moving a vehicle doesn’t take a steering wheel and a gas pedal.
The Self Driving Flash Mob and the Aladdin Entrance
You might send your car off to snap pictures of your ex-boyfriend’s house.. just to see who is there.
You might program this EVERY HOUR …for weeks at a time.. and progam your radio to scream at every pass…
If this is what you are doing, advertisers may pay you to feature ads on your car- wherever you drive, or, possibly maybe they will pay your car to visit a certain location and park with advertising…
And when this happens, there will be 154 empty autonomous cars on any given downtown location during a ball game, sitting empty, idling, just showing their ads…
Others will see this huge waste of road use and be totally annoyed that the roads are clogged- and decide that this concept is a good idea to CLOG streets during political conventions and protests….Think 1000s of vehicles ‘flash mobbing’ an event. This will happen!
Or what about the incredibly wealthy commanding a fleet of cars to make a grand entrance?
You know how ‘Prince Ali’ met the princess below… Expect it.
The Secure Trunk Add-On
What fun would a self-driving vehicle be if you can’t use it to deliver a cup of sugar to your neighbor’s, or to your mom’s house 5 miles away?
Surely you will have to be ready to send your car to the corner store directly to pick up celery and paprika for a meal. But will you roll down the window and ask them to throw your vegetables and old world spices into the window?
Individual cars won’t just open up their passenger side doors for anyone… There will probably be BOLT-ON boxes that sit sticking through vehicle car windows- a whole new vehicle aftermarket business will start…
Companies doing deliveries will want these boxes too!
Box Dispensers, Pizza Warmers will be ubiquitous.. but of course we will see legal battles for Pharmacy Vehicles, Liquor Store Vehicles and more.
If you take this box add-on concept to the worst of humanity- you may see self driving cars dispensing bombs for terrorists, or delivering deadly payloads by urban gang members… Scary thought.
Your Own Ambulance
On a much more positive note- you will be able to use your own vehicle to take you to the hospital! If you are sick or get hurt- what a quick way to get to medical attention without waiting for an EMS team to arrive.
This may require hospitals to expand for a self driving car owner ambulance area. That will be a fun job- pulling a mildly obese man out of a smart car who is swollen all over from a wasp attack. A new industry, or EMS medical Specialty? We shall see…
Maybe self-driving cars will come with AUTO-AMBULANCE MODE- and include lights and sirens to get you to a hospital. Of course, I can’t imagine that would ever be abused… ha ha…
Dog Park Bus
Why spend time at the dog park when your self driving car can take your dog there for you?
Fooling Self-Driving Cars
Computers can be tricked. And the act of (what will be Illegal) Tricking of self-driving cars in the city might be as exciting as tipping cows in the country.
For those looking to capture self-driving cars, the moral dilemma becomes a lot easier to accept for the bad guys than, say, a car-jacking. How might self-driving cars be tricked?
- Roads being blocked by, well anything from fake deer to pretend car accidents…
- Roads being ‘changed’ to either be detoured into lakes, rivers, or the hands of waiting thieves (think Wile. E. Coyote)
- Camera Lens Black Out Painting
- Graffitti… Beats PAYING for advertising!
- Or maybe Uber and other Self-Driving Taxis will find they get hired during storms, tornados, and floods a little too often.
Again, a whole new set of laws will come about…
Decking Out Your Self Driving Car
Now that you own a self driving car and you are in a completely safe space, (minus Wile E. Coyote Tricks) passengers might feel they need to change the seating arrangements, and lose seat belts all together.
Maybe your car will have a miniature kitchen to prepare meals, have its own vegetable garden hot house, or maybe you will install an exercise bike in your car, or a bed to sleep in… All possibilities… With safety going up, recreation will take the primary goal for drive time.
Or maybe this will count as recreation…
Driving Program Modes
A Sunday Drive may never be the same if you let your vehicle pick the surprise destination.. Maybe your local newspaper events page will have a ‘car’ app that directs people to ‘something fun to do’, or maybe stores will pay you gas moneyto bring you to their grand opening. All a surprise!
Expect modes like
RANDOM()
LOCALEVENTS()
PICKUPFRIENDS()
CITYTOUR()
However the self-driving car revolution plays out, it’s going to be a fun ride!
