- 20 Mar, 2021
- 0 Comments
- 2 Mins Read
How is the adoption of Uber’s self-driving cars going to affect the current transportation industry in Toronto?
1. What are your concerns regarding Uber self-driving cars?
The most prominent concern around self-driving cars is that of safety, and the possibility that the
software controlling these vehicles is revealed to be deficient in some way. The prospect of
collisions and pedestrian fatalities is indeed a grim one. For me, however, my greatest concerns
centre on both the a) environmental and b) political-economic implications. In terms of a), I
worry that the ease of use implied by self-driving cars will greatly increase the number of
journeys being made and therefore cause a rise in carbon emissions when we desperately need to
curb them. And b), if Uber is able to replicate its capacity to rapidly scale its ride-hailing
business with self-driving cars, it might yield an effective monopoly position with many negative
implications for public transit, incumbent taxi operators and ultimately the public.
2. Do you believe that self-driving cars are going to disrupt the current
transportation industry? If yes, how? If not, why?
I think that a prospect definitely exists where self-driving cars represent a direct replacement for
the taxi industry (including possibly the complete cannibalisation of Uber’s own ride-hailing
division). Ultimately, software would replace the human driver. Cargo transport and courier
services represent other economic sectors that would clearly be vulnerable to automation.
3. Self-driving cars are said to become a cheaper alternative than the regular
transportation modes we have today. That is because the current ride sharing business
model, consisting of the driver as well as their car, accounts for an estimated 75% of the
cost. Eliminating the driver will thus result in making ride sharing significantly
cheaper. Considering this, do you believe that this will be the selling point for Toronto
commuters to opt out of traditional transportation modes and rely on Uber’s self-driving
cars?
If those calculations are correct, then cost considerations may well drive user uptake. Perhaps of
greater significance is the prospect that people who commute by car could re-purpose those
many hours spent behind the wheel towards work and leisure activities as they travel as a
passenger rather than a driver.
4. Do you believe self-driving cars are going to create a Utopian or Dystopian world for
Toronto commuters and citizens in general?
I am wary of ever signalling a dystopian or utopian future with regards to the diffusion of new
technologies; history teaches us that the results are invariably much murkier and more nuanced
than those judgements permit. Given the general trends in the development of AI, machine
learning and automation, the arrival of self-driving cars as part of our near-future transit mix
would appear to be a safe bet. While for the individual, self-driving cars will offer time and
possibly cost-saving advantages, for society as a whole, the impact of self-driving cars will
depend on regulatory intervention: can Federal/municipal authorities mandate carbon-neutral
technology, effectively establish safety standards, and prevent Uber from monopolising the
market