[korse]

Very little imho. All cars are becoming a nightmare to repair and are getting filled with more compute than anyone should need. Thus, I think they all sort of suck post 2018. I don't like carrying a smartphone and I certainly don't want to drive one.

In theory, EVs aren't overburdened with emissions standards and aren't really road-trip machines (can't put a marine gas tank in the trunk to increase range...) so they shouldn't be any more complicated than a small mobile robot or electric skateboard. Installing a back-up camera and OBD2 port off the bus at the factory doesn't require a small server farm and LTE connection.

All the other comments seem like people getting stoked about new thing is new and ohhh shiny automagic feature with dubious productivity benefit over time.

If people really wanted dependable, then I'd suggest something that a standard human can comprehend and wrench on (even if the failure rate per mile is a bit higher). Perhaps even something that can be fixed with parts created in a garage. If they wanted to minimize environmental footprint too, they can always buy a good steel frame cargo bicycle and durable weatherproof clothing.

I do get the speed and handling angle, however consider the age old question. Is it more fun to drive fast car slow, or slow car fast?

[vel0city]

> can't put a marine gas tank in the trunk to increase range...

Yeah like that's a necessary feature for most drivers...

> they can always buy a good steel frame cargo bicycle

But where do I put the 12 gallon marine gas tank on the cargo bicycle?? We just established that's an absolute necessity. Clearly not an acceptable form of transportation! How else am I going to get this thing to go on my daily 1,400mi trip that normal people do all the time??

> getting filled with more compute than anyone should need

Anyone should need is the bar here? We existed before electrical lighting, nobody really needs it.

> Is it more fun to drive fast car slow, or slow car fast?

I definitely think its more fun to have 100% of your torque available at 0RPMs. My EV isn't really a "fast car" from the perspective of high speeds or extreme handling. Its probably not going to win many races at a track. But driving it around town? Loads of fun, way closer to the "slow car fast" kind of feeling than the "fast car slow".

[korse]

>But where do I put the 12 gallon marine gas tank on the cargo bicycle?

You ratchet strap it to the top of the 'long tail' and fill it with food. Duh. That tank can easily carry enough calories for a cross country trek.

>Anyone should need is the bar here?

Just because we can doesn't mean we should. Restraining technological development to preserve certain aspects of the human experience seems reasonable to me (so long as we aren't able to substantially re-engineer the human genome and change the baseline we've enjoyed for 30k + years).

Plenty of people argue that the car in general has had negative sociological effects. Not going to fight that one here as I like vehicles, but I do think that if people have to drive regularly, it wouldn't hurt to either be more in-tune with the experience or let a robot handle it entirely so that the time can be used for 'more productive purposes' (note, I doubt that people would do much with the time other than entertain themselves, but w/e). Business calls without distraction perhaps? Engage with kids during transport instead of pacifying them with devices?