Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF

nytimes.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–150 of 348 posts

Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF

#141

Post by bergie »

ttul wrote: post #80
fastball wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just want a driverless RV that will drive me between all the National Parks in the US while I work remotely from the back via a Starlink dish mounted to the roof.

The solution to homelessness too! No need to find a parking spot. Just drive all night. Could it drive very slowly and charge the batteries using solar? Hmmm

We saw an electric motorboat this summer, made out of an old archipelago fisher boat. Cabin top and bimini full of solar.

Owner estimated that on a sunny day you can motor at 3kt without depleting batteries.

Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF

#142

Post by rxyz »

1024core wrote: post #78
smlavine wrote: post #17

> The Waymo rides were affordable, ranging from $18 to $21 Goes to show you what world these journalists are living on that think that's totally acceptable for a five mile ride. I'll stick with public transit.

As an example, riding public transit from Marina Green to Beach Chalet takes 1 hour in Muni: https://goo.gl/maps/8mPmP8ZsC61c2CL5A and involves a change of buses. Is it worth it to spend $20 and do it in 1/3 the time in a clean and safe setting? To many, yes.

Why public transport in one of the richest cities in the world isn't clean and safe?

Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF

#143

Post by 3cats-in-a-coat »

_acco wrote: post #14

> My ride was so smooth, the novelty began to wear off, turning a trip to the future into just another journey across town. This is the only nod in the article to how futuristic and revelatory this innovation. The journalists sound so bored. I wonder if this is a function of how “around the corner” this tech has felt for so long? Have we somehow become jaded to this innovation before it has even arrived? Were journal…

The realization a self-driving car is not infinitely exciting is how bubbles pop. This particular bubble was formed mostly by Tesla hyping up the coming of their fleet of millions of robotaxis that will turn every other car immediately obsolete, “like owning a horse”, and Teslas will 100x in price, and Tesla will be the most valuable company in the world. And all that, over a product they still can’t ship (and won’t).

The reality of robotaxis is that they’re happening but gradually, not overnight. There will be problems, also benefits. And it’ll be an OK business. And humans will be kicked out of another job only they could do.

In a way it’s not good news. It’s bad news. Because we think not being able to work this or that means we’ll be given more responsibility at a higher level. But we’re still apes barely qualified to drive a car. How does that magically make us capable of higher jobs? It doesn’t. As robots do more, the expectations of humans are also to do more. And most will fail.

Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF

#144

Post by Mashimo »

prawn wrote: post #106
fastball wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, definitely want the RV to be electric. Plus would cover the roof in solar to get a bit of extra charge.

I don't think the rooftop solar makes a dent in the vehicle's power needs, but maybe that changes with time. I've driven a lot of the US, a lot of national parks, and the driving is the trivial bit. Everything else is a pain, IMO!

If it drives while you work, it can drive slow and save some power. Even if the range is just .. 20 - 40km. You have a new place every day :D

Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF

#146

Post by dageshi »

taurath wrote: post #119
_acco wrote: post #14

> My ride was so smooth, the novelty began to wear off, turning a trip to the future into just another journey across town. This is the only nod in the article to how futuristic and revelatory this innovation. The journalists sound so bored. I wonder if this is a function of how “around the corner” this tech has felt for so long? Have we somehow become jaded to this innovation before it has even arrived? Were journal…

> I wonder if this is a function of how “around the corner” this tech has felt for so long? Have we somehow become jaded to this innovation before it has even arrived? The end customer experience is nearly identical to having a quiet driver. A taxi is still a taxi. Someone having their own self driving car would be a big change. Being able to not own a car because of cheap shared self driving vehicles would be intere…

I'd assume so?

The biggest expense has to be the drivers time right?

Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF

#147

Post by SanderNL »

barbariangrunge wrote: post #21

But… why couldn’t we just build more and better trains?

And how do I get to the trains?

It takes me about 30min to get there, no matter what method I use and I actually live in a city. Then waiting for some train, ten-twenty minutes is not unusual, then riding it, leaving the station. It’ll easily be an 2h experience to travel what would be at most 30min in a car.

Getting basically anywhere in NL with a train is an automatic 2-3x slowdown, unless you happen near some public transport hotspot and your destination is actually near the station.

It’s also uncomfortable for all kind of reasons, to be honest.. but I’ll take that if it wasn’t such a waste of time.

I don’t see any way of improving this as well. What would you propose? Demolish housing to make place for tracks?

Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF

#148

Post by rob74 »

belugacat wrote: post #128
taurath wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I wonder if this is a function of how “around the corner” this tech has felt for so long? Have we somehow become jaded to this innovation before it has even arrived? The end customer experience is nearly identical to having a quiet driver. A taxi is still a taxi. Someone having their own self driving car would be a big change. Being able to not own a car because of cheap shared self driving vehicles would be intere…

> does anyone really believe anymore that it will be cheap, given how expensive ride share services are? I used to own a car in SF, and I definitely spend way less money every month on Lyft + the occasional weekend Getaround than I did on insurance/gas/repairs/the occasional tow or parking ticket when I had my car (not even counting initial acquisition). Obviously depends on a lot of factors, but it’s not that clear…

If robo-taxis actually manage to reduce the number of people that own cars, it also has other advantages - mainly less need for parking spaces.

Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF

#149

Post by pirate787 »

3cats-in-a-coat wrote: post #143
_acco wrote: post #14

> My ride was so smooth, the novelty began to wear off, turning a trip to the future into just another journey across town. This is the only nod in the article to how futuristic and revelatory this innovation. The journalists sound so bored. I wonder if this is a function of how “around the corner” this tech has felt for so long? Have we somehow become jaded to this innovation before it has even arrived? Were journal…

The realization a self-driving car is not infinitely exciting is how bubbles pop. This particular bubble was formed mostly by Tesla hyping up the coming of their fleet of millions of robotaxis that will turn every other car immediately obsolete, “like owning a horse”, and Teslas will 100x in price, and Tesla will be the most valuable company in the world. And all that, over a product they still can’t ship (and won’t)…

Your Luddite take is profoundly wrong, and has been consistently proven wrong at every single technological turn in history. We have more robots than even today, and yet a labor SHORTAGE.

Eliminating the tedious and dangerous task of driving is an enormous benefit to humanity that will save 30,000+ lives a year in the US alone. We will end the misery caused to millions from injury and tragedy, and the billions of dollars lost. We can rethink our cities and move parking to the periphery. New jobs will emerge to replace long distance trucking and taxi driver (two jobs that didn't really exist just 100 years ago). Humanity will benefit.

Re: NY Times Rides in Waymo Robotaxis in SF

#150

Post by rob74 »

fnordpiglet wrote: post #98
austinl wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Reminds me that SpaceX has now landed rocket boosters successfully over 200 times. Landing just a single rocket was huge news a few years ago. The US is launching things into space about 20 times as frequently compared to 10 years ago [1]. Now, most rocket launches don't make mainstream news—I only keep up with things by subscribing to a niche newsletter [2]. [1] https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/yearly-number-of-ob…

Every time I watch a booster landing I get goosebumps. And robo taxis still amaze me.

Yeah, people sensitive to technology (and I guess there's a fair share of those on HN) find these things fascinating. Or things that are even more commonplace, like airplanes - that it's really possible to transport millions of people around the world with this speed and reliability is also fascinating if you think about it. But most people just complain about the lack of legroom and the bad food - and would probably do the same on a flight to the Moon too if those would become commonplace enough...
Post reply on HN