Recently, I was asked to write a news piece on the latest Google self-driving car. If you haven't heard about it, basically it's a Prius (and now there's a Lexus RX 450h on their "fleet" too) that can drive itself using a system of cameras and lasers and sensors. You get in, program your destination and it does the rest.
It sounds absolutely horrible.
In the Google blog I used to write the news piece, a few sentences stood out to me. One in particular being: "One day we hope this capability will enable people to be more productive in their cars."
Be more productive? Wait, I thought paying attention to the road and ensuring I don't cause any accidents and maintain the speed limit while I make my way to work was just about enough. Now you want me to be more productive?
What happened to down time? What happened to enjoying the open road? What happened to not working all the time? Maybe I like to drive because not only is it fun but it also gives me a chance to shut down, disconnect; to not answer my phone, or emails, or texts. It lets me forget everything and everyone for a second and just focus on me and the car I'm driving.
But wait, Google also said in their blog that "[w]ith each breakthrough [they] feel more optimistic about delivering this technology to people and dramatically improving their driving experience."
Sorry to say Google, but you're not improving it, you're taking it away completely.
This technology doesn't fascinate me, it scares me. Are we really going to turn into the drone-like characters in the Wall-E movie (don't lie, you know what I'm talking about)? Tasks like driving connect us to the world around us and other people. Whether in a good or bad way, it's called interaction. Take that away and what's left? We already disconnect via emails and texts (no one picks up the phone to call anymore), at least let us keep driving.
Will I ever get into a self-driving car and let it whisk me away to my destination? I'd like to say, no. If only on principle. Call me old fashioned, but I'd like to keep driving my cars all on my lonesome, just like I keep a hand-written journal.
"Technology is at its best when it makes people's lives better," but not when it makes them numb. Think about that for a moment, Google.
It sounds absolutely horrible.
In the Google blog I used to write the news piece, a few sentences stood out to me. One in particular being: "One day we hope this capability will enable people to be more productive in their cars."
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| Photo: Google |
Be more productive? Wait, I thought paying attention to the road and ensuring I don't cause any accidents and maintain the speed limit while I make my way to work was just about enough. Now you want me to be more productive?
What happened to down time? What happened to enjoying the open road? What happened to not working all the time? Maybe I like to drive because not only is it fun but it also gives me a chance to shut down, disconnect; to not answer my phone, or emails, or texts. It lets me forget everything and everyone for a second and just focus on me and the car I'm driving.
But wait, Google also said in their blog that "[w]ith each breakthrough [they] feel more optimistic about delivering this technology to people and dramatically improving their driving experience."
Sorry to say Google, but you're not improving it, you're taking it away completely.
This technology doesn't fascinate me, it scares me. Are we really going to turn into the drone-like characters in the Wall-E movie (don't lie, you know what I'm talking about)? Tasks like driving connect us to the world around us and other people. Whether in a good or bad way, it's called interaction. Take that away and what's left? We already disconnect via emails and texts (no one picks up the phone to call anymore), at least let us keep driving.
Will I ever get into a self-driving car and let it whisk me away to my destination? I'd like to say, no. If only on principle. Call me old fashioned, but I'd like to keep driving my cars all on my lonesome, just like I keep a hand-written journal.
"Technology is at its best when it makes people's lives better," but not when it makes them numb. Think about that for a moment, Google.