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Google's Driverless Car Is Worth Trillions

forbes.com

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Re: Google's Driverless Car Is Worth Trillions

#3

This assumes Google will have the market to itself. Cars aren't like search. It's not a winner-takes-all market.

Why wouldn't self-driving cars be networked somehow? Like, what if in order to access the Google fleet of cars, you had to have a Google membership?

Re: Google's Driverless Car Is Worth Trillions

#4
The market is worth trillions... not Google's solution. One thing tech reporters seem to have failed at recognizing is that this research has been taking place at every major car company out there - many many others are legitimately in the race. Ultimately its the manufacturers that get to pull the trigger on how driverless cars will become driverless.

Re: Google's Driverless Car Is Worth Trillions

#6
That's why the CA legislature pssed legislation to allow self-driving cars on public roads with such unusual alacrity - this is a technology we want to ensure gets a foothold in California, both for direct revenue flowing to the state and for the second order economic gains that would result from wide deployment - environmental improvements, lower accident rates, and new service markets. EDIT: as well as the ongoing perception of economic and technological leadership, which has taken a bruising after our per-student educational funding fell to an embarrassing 49th in the nation.

Re: Google's Driverless Car Is Worth Trillions

#8
post #3

This assumes Google will have the market to itself. Cars aren't like search. It's not a winner-takes-all market.

Why wouldn't self-driving cars be networked somehow? Like, what if in order to access the Google fleet of cars, you had to have a Google membership?

That would conflict with public safety considerations and possibly with antitrust/consumer legislation. The system has to work on a standalone basis even if communications go down, but you can be sure it will be super-easy to integrate with or obtain Google account privileges. Having been part of the test group for several Google hardware products, I'm optimistic about the possibilities - although Google will have to up its game regarding customer service, tech support etc.

Re: Google's Driverless Car Is Worth Trillions

#9

This assumes Google will have the market to itself. Cars aren't like search. It's not a winner-takes-all market.

The software might become like Android---a standard. Largely because of interoperability: it's advantageous for cars to talk to one another in order to coordinate on the highway better than just with sensors, so it makes sense for them all to be of the same operating system. Further, people who make apps for these cars will want to deploy to as many as possible. So, "IceDriver 2015" will choose Google's car OS over (shivers) GM's OS.

Re: Google's Driverless Car Is Worth Trillions

#10
"Because people consistently underestimate the implications of a change in technology—are you listening, Kodak, Blockbuster, Borders, Sears, etc.?"

Um, are you listening Ford, Hyundai, Honda, GM? Can't wait until they legislate their way back to competitiveness with google.

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