The fallout from "self driving cars"...

[southernfriedcj]

GM announced that they will have an autonomous car ready for the market in 2019.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/12/b...rless-car.html

Whether or not it is ready in 2019, the day will be here soon.

I was thinking about the fallout when driverless cars become the norm.

Apparently they will be much safer than cars driven by humans. No surprise there.
The downside I see to that safety margin is that it will be irresistible for the government to keep there nose out of the business of those who like to turn their own steering wheel. Ironically enough, the @#$%^&*# in California, the mecca of the car culture, will probably be the ones to lead the charge.

It is going to be hard to resist banning drive it yourself cars when they are killing machines compared to driverless cars.

If the worst case scenario comes to pass, what will happen to the car "hobby"? I ain't paying 4 mil for a Hemi Cuda ragtop if I can't drive it.

Will they came out with a retrofit kit so that Cuda can drive itself(be nice for bracket racers), will rich folks start driving clubs with private driving circuits or will the market for collector car collapse?

I am not saying this will happen, but I'm a "the glass is empty and the damn thing dropped on the floor and shattered" kind of guy.

While we are on the subject of driverless cars, when they become the norm, what will traffic cops do? Ticket revenue will drop to darn near nothing.

What will body shop do? Those cars won't be crashing themselves(very often).

We will need a lot less ambulance chasers. A lot less DUI lawyers. A lot less trauma centers.

What will insurance companies do? Sure, you will need some insurance, but I would guess it won't be much.

How about high end new cars? I'm not buying a new Lambo if I can't wring it out.

Heck, if I'm not driving my car it might as well be a Prius.

I could see the parts/modification after market drying up too.

It should cut down on traffic congestion. Those cars should be able to drive nose to tail at WOT. Cut your commute in half. Maybe we won't need so may new lanes around Atlanta after all.

What do y'all think?