[s1artibartfast]

I think this is an overly cynical take. If the technology gets there, I think there will be massive uptake for in the urban commuter and taxi markets.

when pitting Actual safety + massive convenience VS. fear, I think the former will win out for a large part of the market.

I also think the majority of people would pay more for a self driven taxi than a person driven taxi. Some reasons might be personal space, privacy, safety, and reliability in terms of dispatch and cancelled rides.