[guyfawkes303]

This makes me so excited. I can't wait until the interiors of cars can change completely due to the safety brought by self driving cars. If all cars were self driving and communicated with each other, the risk of crash would be almost nonexistent (obviously there would still be wildlife and other issues). Given a near 0% chance of crash however, we could remove many of the annoying 'features' of a current car, like seat belts and having all the seats in the car face forward. Maybe you can even order specific types of cars for what you want. Tired? Order a bed car. Just a door and inside is a bunch of mattresses and pillows with windows that can be blacked out. Late for work? Order a work car. Has desks with swiveling chairs etc. Just getting groceries or going shopping? Order a hauler car, etc.

[Numberwang]

Or why not order a groceries shop car instead?

https://techxplore.com/news/2017-06-convenience-mart-wheels-...

[gruturo]

Rear-facing seats are not illegal I think (obviously not allowed for the pilot, currently) - and they have been amply proved to actually be safer. They've been the standard on military planes (again, not for the pilot :-) ) for quite a few years. Once people get around the initial shock (something not to be discounted - it may kill the sales of a car) they are quite happy with them on planes.

[saganus]

I've never heard abour rear-facing seats being safer befofe.

What makes it safer? Do you have any references? It sounds interesting.

Is it because if you crash, your back absorbs the impact better?

[mikeash]

I think that's basically right. The worst crashes are usually frontal, and your entire body is evenly supported, rather than hanging on a seat belt or something.

Rear-facing seats are definitely not illegal in cars. Tesla has them as an option for a third row in the Model S. I think they would be legal in airplanes too, and the main reason they don't see more use is just that people are often uncomfortable not facing the direction they're going.

[sloppycee]

A public 'bed car' sounds gross.

[guyfawkes303]

I mean, yea. I guess I left out the details of how the car service you were renting from would clean things between uses. Didn't think that was necessary to spell out. There are public 'nap rental' places now that have that particular problem pretty well sorted out.

[spikels]

Think of hotels or airline/train sleeper seats not public transit.

[lmm]

Sleeper trains usually have an attendant in every carriage. Doing that would seem to defeat the point of a self-driving car.

[akgerber]

Not necessarily any grosser than a hotel.