[dahdum]

> I always think it's weird how instead of just improving public transit, we've all become fixated on self driving vehicles.

To me self driving EV's appear a much more viable way to "solve" public transit everywhere beyond major metros. They'll drastically drop labor costs and are extremely flexible. No major infrastructure changes are needed compared to adding things like rail. No cities need to be redesigned in one fell swoop.

[_hcuq]

No major infrastructure changes are needed for buses……

[dahdum]

Right, it’s mostly the labor economics that make them poor choices outside of dense urban areas. Self driving EV buses could actually solve that suburban transit problem, with private on demand vehicles being a “premium” option.

Self driving buses or shuttles may actually come first around planned retirement communities. Simple routes, good weather, with flexible demand.

[potatochup]

The most expensive thing in transit service for a lot of smaller cities is paying for the drivers. If you want more shorter headways, longer service hours then you're paying a lot more for additional drivers.

[ncmncm]

Cheap, at any price. Instead we subsidize cars at many, many times that.

You can think of everything you pay for the car you are obliged to maintain as a tax you pay as subsidy for cars. With good public transportation, even massively expanded, you would keep most of that.

[Gordonjcp]

> To me self driving EV's appear a much more viable way to "solve" public transit everywhere beyond major metros.

But it doesn't solve the problem of using something sized for four people carrying one person.

[user_named]

Self driving cars don't exist.