Next Stop for Waymo One: Los Angeles • Hacker News Board

Re: Next Stop for Waymo One: Los Angeles

#21

Post by colinmhayes » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 7:31 PM UTC

tmpz22 wrote: post #15

stirlo wrote: post #7

A big move for sure. The LA demographics are much less tech heavy than other cities. Hopefully they succeed and have a model where transportation become cheaper and more efficient and an individual owning a car becomes an option rather than a necessity.

> have a model where transportation become cheaper Multiple billions have been spent on developing this technology, its hard to imagine they won't squeeze out maximum profit with a multitude of dark patterns if they do become mainstream.

Replacing the millions of professional drivers with low marginal cost software can both makes boat loads of money and make transportation cheaper.

Re: Next Stop for Waymo One: Los Angeles

#22

Post by crazygringo » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 7:31 PM UTC

tmpz22 wrote: post #15

stirlo wrote: post #7

A big move for sure. The LA demographics are much less tech heavy than other cities. Hopefully they succeed and have a model where transportation become cheaper and more efficient and an individual owning a car becomes an option rather than a necessity.

> have a model where transportation become cheaper Multiple billions have been spent on developing this technology, its hard to imagine they won't squeeze out maximum profit with a multitude of dark patterns if they do become mainstream.

Google is known for a lot of things, like cancelling products, but "dark patterns" is definitely not one of its things.

Of course they'll squeeze out maximum profit, like every other company does. Fortunately, you can just check out the Wikipedia article on "profit maximization" to understand why maximum profit doesn't come from maximum prices, but generally comes from a middle price that attracts more customers.

In any case, it's always going to be cheaper than a ride with a human driver, so I don't know what you're being so negative about.

Re: Next Stop for Waymo One: Los Angeles

#23

Post by tyingq » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 7:41 PM UTC

bergenty wrote: post #6

whalesalad wrote: post #4

people are going to light these things on fire

Then they get recorded and dealt with by the law just like burning any random parked car.

There's some precedent for other unattended things like rental scooters. If it becomes a nuisance for the police, they may choose to ignore self-driving car vandalism.

Re: Next Stop for Waymo One: Los Angeles

#24

Post by yieldcrv » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 7:42 PM UTC

stirlo wrote: post #7

A big move for sure. The LA demographics are much less tech heavy than other cities. Hopefully they succeed and have a model where transportation become cheaper and more efficient and an individual owning a car becomes an option rather than a necessity.

The desirable parts of LA are tech heavy, just comes down to who can afford what right now

But its good that people expect something else and that there is more variety in types of people

Re: Next Stop for Waymo One: Los Angeles

#25

Post by spaceman_2020 » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 7:43 PM UTC

ElijahLynn wrote: post #2

Very exciting news, as more people use autonomous vehicles, the less parking needs there will be and hopefully more parking lots can be reclaimed with plant life, that benefits the whole earth with better air and calming energy.

Imagine a jogging track and a cycling track that runs all through the city.

I'd never get inside a car!

Re: Next Stop for Waymo One: Los Angeles

#26

Post by simonebrunozzi » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 7:49 PM UTC

crazygringo wrote: post #22

tmpz22 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> have a model where transportation become cheaper Multiple billions have been spent on developing this technology, its hard to imagine they won't squeeze out maximum profit with a multitude of dark patterns if they do become mainstream.

Google is known for a lot of things, like cancelling products, but "dark patterns" is definitely not one of its things. Of course they'll squeeze out maximum profit, like every other company does. Fortunately, you can just check out the Wikipedia article on "profit maximization" to understand why maximum profit doesn't come from maximum prices, but generally comes from a middle price that attracts more customers. In…

> but "dark patterns" is definitely not one of its things.

I think you're improperly informed; let me present you just one of many instances that prove my point [0].

[0]: https://www.extremetech.com/internet/330907-google-accused-o...

Re: Next Stop for Waymo One: Los Angeles

#27

Post by mechagodzilla » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 7:51 PM UTC

colinmhayes wrote: post #21

tmpz22 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> have a model where transportation become cheaper Multiple billions have been spent on developing this technology, its hard to imagine they won't squeeze out maximum profit with a multitude of dark patterns if they do become mainstream.

Replacing the millions of professional drivers with low marginal cost software can both makes boat loads of money and make transportation cheaper.

But you're replacing low-paid drivers that supply their own cheap cars with very high marginal-cost cars and sensors (and low marginal cost software). Its hard to imagine them turning a profit from owning and operating a fleet of cars - it seems like a business model closer to Hertz than Uber, and neither are terribly profitable.

Re: Next Stop for Waymo One: Los Angeles

#28

Post by jdmdmdmdmd » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 7:54 PM UTC

tmpz22 wrote: post #15

stirlo wrote: post #7

A big move for sure. The LA demographics are much less tech heavy than other cities. Hopefully they succeed and have a model where transportation become cheaper and more efficient and an individual owning a car becomes an option rather than a necessity.

> have a model where transportation become cheaper Multiple billions have been spent on developing this technology, its hard to imagine they won't squeeze out maximum profit with a multitude of dark patterns if they do become mainstream.

It has to be cheaper than human drivers and compete with other self driving offerings. That said this is definitely a difficult market to break into (at least for now). At the same time, an open source model isn't completely out of the question. Datasets of specific cities can be built pretty easily these days (even if expensive). If that ever happens, self driving will have no added cost.

Re: Next Stop for Waymo One: Los Angeles

#29

Post by kitotik » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 7:57 PM UTC

yieldcrv wrote: post #24

stirlo wrote: post #7

A big move for sure. The LA demographics are much less tech heavy than other cities. Hopefully they succeed and have a model where transportation become cheaper and more efficient and an individual owning a car becomes an option rather than a necessity.

The desirable parts of LA are tech heavy, just comes down to who can afford what right now But its good that people expect something else and that there is more variety in types of people

“desirable parts of LA are tech heavy”

This is very subjective and depends heavily on the definitions of “desirable” and “LA”.

Re: Next Stop for Waymo One: Los Angeles

#30

Post by alphabetting » Wed, Oct 19, 2022, 7:58 PM UTC

tyingq wrote: post #23

bergenty wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then they get recorded and dealt with by the law just like burning any random parked car.

There's some precedent for other unattended things like rental scooters. If it becomes a nuisance for the police, they may choose to ignore self-driving car vandalism.

Scooters are like $150 a piece. These six-figure cars. Doubt that gets ignored.