1 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: Get in text with technology with tex Stuff from hosts 2 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: dot com. Heather, Guys, welcome to tech Stuff. I'm Jonathan Strickland, 3 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:20,280 Speaker 1: and I wanted to continue my podcast about the story 4 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:24,119 Speaker 1: of Uber, and I brought Scott Benjamin into talk for 5 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: a little bit. Originally this was going to be uh 6 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: in the first episode, but Scott and I talked for 7 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 1: about forty five minutes and it turned out that that 8 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: was gonna be way too long to tack onto the 9 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 1: end of part one. So here is part two, where 10 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 1: I end up asking Scott some really tough questions about 11 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 1: Uber and autonomous cars and a future where car ownership 12 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 1: may become a thing of the past. If you listen carefully, 13 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: you can hear the exact moment his heartbreaks. Here we go, 14 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 1: you know, to really dive into this topic. I decided 15 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 1: I could not do this as just a solo episode, 16 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 1: so I have brought in the foremost mind on automotive 17 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 1: issues here at How Stuff Works, Scott Benjamin. Scott, thanks 18 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: for coming in. Oh, thank you much. The foremost mind 19 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: maybe on this floor in this building, I think for 20 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: How Stuff Works was a fair clarification. Yeah, we're we're um, 21 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 1: We're happy to have you on again, And of course, 22 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: I mean I love having Scott on the show because 23 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: Scott is game for anything. Thank you appreciated. I'd love 24 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 1: being here. It's a fun conversation usually. Yeah, this was 25 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: great because I actually I came up to Scott today 26 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 1: this morning a little peek behind the curtain and said, 27 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 1: would you mind jumping in? You said sure. So we're 28 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: gonna talk a little bit about the implications of Uber 29 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: and sort of I want to I want to kind 30 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 1: of find out what your thoughts are on Uber the 31 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: service in general, and also more specifically this proposed future 32 00:01:56,200 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: of Uber where we have a fleet of electric robo 33 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: cars taking us wherever we go, and we don't own 34 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: any of them with no driver. With no driver, yeah, 35 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: because you know, you want to get rid of that 36 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 1: pesky person that you have to pay, so autonomous Uber 37 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: vehicles is what we're talking about. Yeah, all right, Uh, 38 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: well it's an interesting thought, isn't it. Yeah, I figured so. 39 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: So for those who don't know you, Scott, I think 40 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 1: it's fair to say that you enjoy cars. I've really 41 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 1: enjoyed Yeah, yeah, every every aspect of it. And you know, 42 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: I I initially when I when I started doing our 43 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: own car stuff podcast years ago, seven, eight years ago, 44 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: whatever it is now. Um, I was a nonbeliever in 45 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: the self driving vehicles well, and especially at that time. 46 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: I mean the technology was so young, right yeah. I 47 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:46,799 Speaker 1: think we've talked about that that it required so much 48 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: infrastructure at that time, even even seven years ago for 49 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:52,239 Speaker 1: it to work. You know, they've been toying around with 50 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: this for a long long time, I mean decades, and 51 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: I've seen some of the older vehicles, you know, from 52 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: the early in eighteen seventies, late nineteen sixties that had 53 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: enormous boxes that were tied to them and they were 54 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: there were embedded wires in the road, and you know, 55 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 1: even then they sort of worked, but not really. You know, 56 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: it was it was kind of just a mixed match 57 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:13,519 Speaker 1: of all different types of components that were added to 58 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: the vehicle, add ons to a standard vehicle. And now 59 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: they're designing cars to be autonomous in different ways, like 60 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 1: with um you know, the lane departure systems and the 61 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: you know, the the adaptive cruise control systems and you 62 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,359 Speaker 1: know all that stuff that exactly all those little components 63 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 1: that are now starting to come together starting to gel 64 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: I guess into one vehicle that is doing all that 65 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: stuff with much smaller, smaller components. Try. I guess, you know, 66 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: because the technology is getting better, you no longer have 67 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: these like gigantic cones or periscopes or things necessarily, although 68 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: depending on some of the vehicles, like Google's approach tends 69 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: to have, you know, a noticeable protrusion on the top 70 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 1: of the vehicle, and you realize that's where a lot 71 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: of the brains or at least the senses of this 72 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: vehicle reside. Sure, but their cars out there that have 73 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: that same stuff and it's all embedded within, you'd never 74 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: know that it's there. And the biggest thing about this 75 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 1: whole thing, and I know that I do that kind 76 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 1: of lead in for every time I talk about autonomous vehicles, 77 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 1: but the biggest thing is the the the removal of 78 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,600 Speaker 1: the requirement of the infrastructure for this to work. Yeah, 79 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: the fact that the early vision of autonomous cars were 80 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: it really wasn't about the cars. It was about the freeways, right, 81 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 1: Like the idea of these autonomous highways that cars would 82 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:31,279 Speaker 1: kind of link into almost like a slot car, and 83 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: and the vehicle itself would be largely a dumb machine 84 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: that would respond to the the needs and the commands 85 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 1: of the highway. We we moved away from that where 86 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 1: all of that ended up being internalized into the vehicle. 87 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 1: Although you know, there's some discussion about making smart roads 88 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: and um, larger systems that are made up of these 89 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 1: individual components, almost like the cars become neurons in a 90 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:58,280 Speaker 1: brain that's made up of highways and other vehicles. But 91 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 1: for the most part, we've we've kind of moved all 92 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:06,239 Speaker 1: of that technology into the vehicle itself, which definitely removes 93 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 1: a lot of the problems that we saw seven or 94 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 1: eight years ago, when the thought was in order for 95 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: this to work, we'd have to make such a huge 96 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: change in existing infrastructure that it's too large of a 97 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:21,359 Speaker 1: job and too expensive of a prospect for it to 98 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,280 Speaker 1: ever become a reality. Sure. Yeah, And I mean we 99 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 1: still are seeing little bits of this and that. You know, 100 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 1: there's self parking cars and they only work in certain 101 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: parking lots, uh, you know, parking lots that have that 102 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 1: technology embedded within the within the pavement or in the 103 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: walls or however it works. Um. But yeah, I'm now 104 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 1: a firm believer in the idea that this can This 105 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: is possible, this can happen, and the the idea that 106 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: somebody would summon a taxi an Uber, I guess, an 107 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 1: Uber vehicle instead of a taxi, and I have it, 108 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: you know, arrive on the scene within thirty seconds. I 109 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: think that's the goal here, right, arrive in thirty seconds 110 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,039 Speaker 1: and you get in and it takes you to where 111 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: you want to go automatically and lets you out your charge, which, 112 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: of course, you know, the way Uber normally does. There's 113 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: no cash transactiontion has to happen or anything like that, 114 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,359 Speaker 1: um aside from having to have an awkward conversation with 115 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: the driver. Uh, this this seems like it's a good 116 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 1: way to go, right. I mean, just imagine that you 117 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: throw in as long as you throw in the ability 118 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: to have voice commands, to have the radio station of 119 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: your choice playing. Yeah. Did I say that right? Because 120 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: what I was saying was, you know, you usually, I 121 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: guess in a typical cab, I always feel that that 122 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: pressure to kind of chat with the guy. I would 123 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 1: I would say that for at least the first two 124 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 1: miles of any trip in any vehicle, I feel there's 125 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: a social obligation to attempt a conversation and based upon 126 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:46,719 Speaker 1: how awkward that conversation is. At the end of two miles, 127 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 1: you then have to make a very tough decision do 128 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:53,279 Speaker 1: I continue this awkward experience or is it okay for 129 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 1: me to trail off at this point. I've had many 130 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:58,359 Speaker 1: enjoyable conversations with cab drives chest and I'm sure that 131 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: Uber drivers are the same way I've had. I've had 132 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 1: conversations that, for one, don't involve working for Uber, that 133 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 1: that you have to get through. There are a couple 134 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 1: of things you gotta get past right there, the typical conversations. 135 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: So this is true for taxi drivers as well. Uh, 136 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: there's there's the weather, and there's traffic. Those are the 137 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 1: two you gotta get past first. Then with Uber you 138 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 1: have to get past the so yeah, I love Uber 139 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 1: or whatever, or you don't love Uber, or however you 140 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: want to breach that, and then after that you can 141 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: get into other areas of conversation. I've had some great ones, 142 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: but I know a lot of people who say that's 143 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 1: one of those elements about this that they are looking 144 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: forward to saying goodbye to the the uh, the feeling 145 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: that you are forced to have a social interaction which 146 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 1: might say a lot about are continuing journey on this 147 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 1: pathway where we compartmentalize everything and we no longer have 148 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: to deal with people like we we can do all 149 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: our shopping online, we can do all of our we 150 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 1: can ride around in a robot car. That says a 151 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 1: lot about who we are as people. But at the 152 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: same time, you think, well, if you just want to 153 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 1: you just want to get to where you're going, and 154 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: you're not looking to have that kind of interaction, You're 155 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: you know, you just you're just literally you just need 156 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 1: to get from point A to point B. I can 157 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: see the appeal in it. Yeah, I can't too. I 158 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: can understand that. Now. I wonder, I just wonder how 159 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 1: many people are gonna be really comfortable the first time 160 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 1: they get into a vehicle that has no driver that 161 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 1: then sets out onto New York City street and uh 162 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 1: and all the congestion and traffic and people and all 163 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 1: that that comes with that, you know, knowing that, and 164 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 1: I would assume they know already that this is going 165 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 1: to be an autonomous vehicle. It's kind of pick them 166 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: up because the Apple tell them that. You know, because 167 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 1: normally a spot that shows you shows your driver, you know, 168 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: who it is. If it just shows you a picture 169 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 1: of a vehicle, then that's that's an indicator right there. Ye, well, 170 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 1: I mean it's it's really going to be incident, interesting 171 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 1: or fascinting to see how people react to that, especially 172 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: if they're not really accustomed to it, you know, the 173 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: very first ride that they ever take. I would be 174 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:00,320 Speaker 1: just be excited to see what people's reaction to be, like, 175 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:03,319 Speaker 1: you know, an in car camera view of people kind 176 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,079 Speaker 1: of laughing, giggling about it. You know, it's got to 177 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 1: be kind of scary in a way, but also fun. Yeah, exhilarating. Yeah, 178 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: almost like an amusement park right at first. Really, I 179 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 1: think I think wherever when we get to the point 180 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 1: where Uber is ready to launch a prototype version of this, 181 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 1: like a beta version of this, that will definitely be 182 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:21,959 Speaker 1: part of It will probably end up being one of 183 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 1: those things where you use the app it asks would 184 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 1: you be willing to do this? And if so, do 185 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:30,840 Speaker 1: you agree to allow video of this to be displayed 186 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:35,239 Speaker 1: because obviously otherwise you've got this whole privacy issue about 187 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 1: a person getting into a vehicle and having their their 188 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: video image taken. But I would I would jump at 189 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: that chance. You know, you make a good point. I 190 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 1: was thinking about this. What happens? Okay, so, um, let's 191 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 1: say that a group of people are out drinking at night, 192 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: and uh, invariably there's gonna be somebody who gets sick 193 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 1: in the car car sick? Right? What happens in Drivel's car? 194 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 1: Because there's nobody there to say this car is out 195 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 1: of service right because of this issue? You know, like 196 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 1: an uber driver or taxi driver would say, I gotta, 197 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: I gotta take an hour off and get this cleaned up. 198 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: What happens in an autonomous vehicle that has another stop 199 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: scheduled forty five seconds away from where they just dropped 200 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: that Person's an excellent question. I wonder. I don't know 201 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 1: how that's gonna have to have you have to have 202 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: puke sensors inside the vehicle, because that would be to 203 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:24,079 Speaker 1: be an unpleasant surprise. Yeah, no, I definitely I would not. 204 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm sure one way one thing you could 205 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:32,079 Speaker 1: do to address that. It's not the ideal version, obviously, 206 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 1: is that you build into the app the ability to 207 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:39,160 Speaker 1: say the car that was sent is needs to be serviced, 208 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: and then the robot car would immediately high tail it 209 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: back to h Q and then another vehicle would be 210 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:47,680 Speaker 1: sent out. But that requires the person to already have 211 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 1: experienced the unpleasant scenario of opening up a door and going, 212 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: whoa that is not fit for human beings to get 213 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: into right now, that's true, and you can't rely on 214 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: the person before that too, you know, I don't know, 215 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:00,719 Speaker 1: hit a button or something that said send back to 216 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 1: main service brand. You certainly wouldn't want anyone to be 217 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 1: able to abuse, such like someone just being a jerk 218 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: and saying, all right now for haasake, I'm gonna push 219 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:12,840 Speaker 1: this button and the car is going to go offline, 220 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 1: which is going to affect possibly someone else down the 221 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: line by making them wait an extra minute and a 222 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 1: half or however long it might be. I mean, that's 223 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 1: an interesting question that I don't think there's an answer 224 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 1: to yet unless you do have, um, some other weird 225 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 1: sensors in there. Even if you have a camera, you 226 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 1: still have to have someone watching it to see what's 227 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:33,559 Speaker 1: going on, right, So you know, some of the other 228 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 1: things that I was just thinking about a few different 229 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 1: scenarios of things that could happen. And you know, there's 230 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 1: a limit in cabs when you when you get in, 231 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:41,079 Speaker 1: there's a you know, a seat limit, you know, a 232 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: number of people that are allowed to share affair, and 233 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 1: otherwise they're charged more. How do they how do they 234 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:49,320 Speaker 1: protect against something like that in in an autonomous vehicle 235 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: where there's not a driver to say, hey, wait a minute, 236 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: you can't put eight people in this car? Well, you know, 237 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: and I've seen for for that because as Uber does 238 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: not add an extra fee for the number of people 239 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 1: who are right, I've actually seen the suggestion that for 240 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:05,959 Speaker 1: the Uber app, you would end up indicating how larger 241 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:09,200 Speaker 1: party is when you would request it for for an 242 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 1: electric autonomous service if we ever get to that point. 243 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:16,320 Speaker 1: Part of the idea is that they would deploy a 244 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: fleet of vehicles that would meet the general needs of 245 00:12:20,679 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: the average day. So uh for New York City, for example, 246 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: most cab rides require are are for one or two 247 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 1: people and that's it. Um then you have a few 248 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: that need you know, it's a larger party, like a 249 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: family with luggage, And the idea being that the app 250 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 1: itself would have it built in so that you could 251 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 1: say I need a cab for two people, or I 252 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:43,400 Speaker 1: need to have a van for a group of six 253 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 1: and the reason being is that that way the service 254 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 1: can have just the size vehicles it needs for the 255 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 1: region it needs, and the people who are using the 256 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:57,319 Speaker 1: app will have the experience that is still a positive experience, 257 00:12:57,360 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 1: as opposed to, well, you know what, we're gonna save 258 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: some money, We're just gonna cram eight college students into 259 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 1: the sedan. That's what I was thinking, is how did 260 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:06,840 Speaker 1: they guard against something like that? They do? They do 261 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,959 Speaker 1: summon a sedan, and then they decided to cram eight 262 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: or ten people into that sedan, even though that it's 263 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 1: not even though it's not supposed to do that. I mean, 264 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:17,839 Speaker 1: would there be sensors that somehow indicate the number of 265 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:19,559 Speaker 1: people to come in, you know, come into the vehicle, 266 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 1: or that you know, the weight of the vehicle has 267 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: been exceeded or something. At least in that case, you 268 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:27,680 Speaker 1: can rest assured that the vehicle itself will still operate 269 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: as safely as possible. It's just the interior will not 270 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 1: be so safe for the people already, right again it yeah, 271 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 1: I wonder, I just wonder where this is going, Like, 272 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:38,560 Speaker 1: is it gonna be a vehicle that doesn't even have 273 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:40,840 Speaker 1: a steering wheel, doesn't even have controls. Is it gonna 274 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 1: be something where the driver's area is still there but 275 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 1: but blocked off somehow, you know, like a cage around, 276 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,559 Speaker 1: or could it even be where the driver's area is 277 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: open for seating. It's just there're no there are no 278 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 1: accessible controls, right there, Zero controls like that. It wasn't 279 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: that the Google cars like that? Right? Yeah? The little 280 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: prototype car where you look, you've got like a button 281 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 1: that you press. Essentially, you push a button that says 282 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 1: go now, and it goes. I'm fully in favor of that. 283 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 1: I love that idea. One of the reasons why we 284 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 1: why I think that Uber's plan is more realistic version 285 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:22,600 Speaker 1: of the future of autonomous cars then say I'm going 286 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 1: to have my own autonomous car is one of price. 287 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: And we were talking about this before we started recording. Uh. 288 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 1: The The commonly quoted figure is that autonomous technology will 289 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 1: add about a hundred fifty thousand dollars to the price 290 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 1: tag of any vehicle. So take a vehicle, any vehicle, 291 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 1: and then say, all right, convert that so it's an 292 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 1: autonomous vehicle. You add a hundred fifty dollars to the 293 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:51,360 Speaker 1: price tag of that. That puts most cars well out 294 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 1: of the range of most people's budgets. Cars are expensive 295 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 1: to begin with, right, And we were trying to find 296 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 1: a good example of this, Yes, And the example that 297 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: I came up with was the car that is probably 298 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 1: the closest to a self driving vehicle that's on the 299 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 1: road right now, Yeah, that that consumers can purchase exactly right, 300 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 1: there's a Mercedes Benz S five hundred that has a 301 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 1: system called intelligent Drive and intelligent drive and if we 302 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 1: haven't already mentioned this on this podcast before, it's basically 303 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 1: a self driving vehicle, but they can't legally call it that. 304 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: It's still you still have to have a driver in 305 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: the driver position. Driver doesn't have to do anything programming 306 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 1: the coordinates, and the car goes. I've watched videos of 307 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: it in action and it's flawless and the way it works. Um. 308 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: But the cost of a a s An S five 309 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: hundred with intelligent drive is about two hundred and eighty 310 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: six thousand dollars. That's a that's a that's a lot 311 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: of chedder. Yeah, that is a lot of shudder, that's right. Um. 312 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 1: And just to try to compare that, we were looking 313 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 1: for a version of that car that doesn't have the 314 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,119 Speaker 1: intelligent drive. And the closest we could get was another 315 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 1: S series vehicle and instead of the five hundreds of 316 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 1: five fifty, but the M S R P on that 317 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:06,600 Speaker 1: vehicle is only dollars now, so nearly two dollars less. 318 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 1: Nearly yes, And so that shows you just how much 319 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: technology is packed into that S S five hundred with 320 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: intelligent drive. And again this is a car where everything 321 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:18,760 Speaker 1: is really streamlined. I mean it's it's mostly tucked away. 322 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: You still you do see a few uh controls and 323 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 1: you see if you, um, modules, I guess you wouldn't 324 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 1: find on a normal S five hundred that that have, 325 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 1: you know, the the electronic I type stuff. I guess 326 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 1: it's for lack of better term, but um, it's really 327 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:37,040 Speaker 1: well tucked away. It's well designed. It's it's it's not 328 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: you know, the big boxes on the hanging off the 329 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:41,080 Speaker 1: front fenders like you know, the old style stuff that 330 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: we've seen. Right, people aren't going to look at this 331 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: vehicle and say, hey, what's that for necessarily unless they're 332 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 1: really paying close attention. And if you didn't know this 333 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: car intelligent drive, and unless it has a badge on 334 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 1: it that says intelligent drive. You wouldn't even know that 335 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 1: it was one of these vehicles, you know, versus a 336 00:16:55,440 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 1: regular S five hundred. So the conclude SHO I come 337 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 1: to with this is that these cars are likely not 338 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 1: going to be something that that the average person is 339 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 1: going to be able to afford any time in the 340 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: near future, even even assuming that car manufacturers build what 341 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 1: are fully autonomous vehicles and put them out on the market, 342 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: because we're getting you know, this car, like you say, 343 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:21,359 Speaker 1: is about the closest that we have to that, and 344 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: it's it's pretty much capable of doing it. Yeah. I mean, 345 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 1: there's other manufacturers that are toying around this too, but 346 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: but Mercedes Benz is one that's been out there in 347 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,479 Speaker 1: the forefront, and so is UM well BMW and Audie 348 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:34,639 Speaker 1: and of course Tessa is working on something. Nissan is 349 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 1: testing a leaf for autonomous vehicle, for autonomous drive. Um. 350 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 1: It seems like all manufacturers have something in the works, 351 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 1: but it's always ten years out. It's always gonna be 352 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:47,360 Speaker 1: ten years away, and and I just really wonder when 353 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:50,639 Speaker 1: they're gonna finally say this is an autonomous vehicle. You 354 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: don't have to have a driver in the driver position. 355 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 1: You could you could have everybody in the back seat 356 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:57,760 Speaker 1: if you wanted and go to church or go wherever 357 00:17:57,800 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 1: you're gonna go. Yeah, I think it's I think it's 358 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 1: a combination of the cost. That's a big one where 359 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:03,920 Speaker 1: they're trying to figure out, well, how can we get 360 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 1: this down to a cost where it's worth it for 361 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:08,920 Speaker 1: us to even build the thing, because if we if 362 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:11,880 Speaker 1: we build, you know, a thousand of these, and we're 363 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,480 Speaker 1: only able to sell ten, there's no point in doing it. 364 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 1: Then there's also policy, you know, making sure that it's 365 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 1: actually legal in in the places where you sell the 366 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: vehicle for someone to be able to ride in that 367 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:25,680 Speaker 1: vehicle without being in control of the car. I think 368 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: that's the big one. That's that's a big one. It's 369 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:30,119 Speaker 1: why I think the price and the legality are the 370 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 1: two biggest obstacles. It's not the technology. The technology is 371 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,240 Speaker 1: pretty much there, and technology is definitely there. I think 372 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:40,159 Speaker 1: the highest hurdle right now is is the legal issues, uh, 373 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 1: you know, the regulations that don't allow for something like that, right, 374 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 1: and so assuming that we get to a point where 375 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 1: the regulations are no longer an issue, the price then 376 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:52,640 Speaker 1: becomes the chief obstacle. And I think that as processes 377 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 1: continue to improve, you know, we see prices come down 378 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 1: when we start streamlining those manufacturing processes and things like that, 379 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 1: and the technology continues to evolve. But even so, a 380 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: hundred fifty is a huge amount of money, so so 381 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:09,880 Speaker 1: reducing that I don't think we're ever going to get 382 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 1: it where that ends up being a five thousand dollar 383 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:14,960 Speaker 1: price hike on a car. And I don't think so either. 384 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 1: But and in our our case is extreme. That's a 385 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 1: Mercedes Ben's S class. That's a that's a big luxury 386 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 1: such sure, I mean that that's already a luxury vehicle. 387 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 1: It's it's going to be expensive no matter what it 388 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: really is. But and and the price to upgrade to 389 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:29,960 Speaker 1: that type of system is always going to be more 390 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 1: than it would be. Let's say, if they if they 391 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:35,399 Speaker 1: did build a Nissan Leaf that has a system like this, um, 392 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 1: it's just going to be that much more. It's a 393 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: you know, within scale. I guess it's going to be balanced, 394 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 1: I would hope. So, I mean, it's still is going 395 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:45,879 Speaker 1: to be a very expensive vehicle compared to one that 396 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:48,240 Speaker 1: would not have the autonomous controls, which is why I 397 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: think the Uber approach. This idea of having a fleet 398 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 1: of autonomous vehicles is more realistic a fleet operated by 399 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 1: a service. I think that's more realistic than and personal 400 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 1: vehicles that are autonomously controlled, at least in the near future. 401 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: So I think, say, let's say it's five years into 402 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 1: the future, and we've we've ironed out the legal issues, 403 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 1: we've ironed out the the technology, so everything on that 404 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: side is fine. I think the price is still going 405 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:21,720 Speaker 1: to be prohibitive for the majority of car perspective car owners, 406 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 1: but for services like Uber, it makes perfect sense. You 407 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 1: go out and you buy a whole bunch of these, 408 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:30,439 Speaker 1: and sure they're expensive, and before you weren't necessarily we're 409 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:34,119 Speaker 1: worrying about maintaining a fleet of cars because your drivers 410 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 1: did that for you. But now you don't have drivers 411 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 1: to pay, so right now, Uber takes between of every 412 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:47,440 Speaker 1: fair so that's their commission, which means that seventy two 413 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 1: percent goes to the driver and it varies depending upon 414 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: the market. Uh, well, you cut out the driver. You 415 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 1: don't pay robots, Scott, I don't know if you know this. Yeah, 416 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:01,359 Speaker 1: robots robots are are. I mean, you know, they're expensive 417 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: to buy, but they work for free since sophisticated that root. Yeah, 418 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:07,960 Speaker 1: I guess. So if you have a robot that doesn't 419 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 1: do much other than maybe walk a few feet before 420 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: falling over, it may not be as expensive as one 421 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:15,920 Speaker 1: that can drive a vehicle. But the point being that, 422 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:19,880 Speaker 1: you know, even though the the initial cost is high, uh, 423 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 1: and you do have to worry about maintaining the vehicle. 424 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:25,840 Speaker 1: Obviously you don't pay so all of that money instead 425 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:33,399 Speaker 1: of instead of taking affairs, goes to the company. Yeah, 426 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:37,360 Speaker 1: and and maintenance. But you you figure, well, if if 427 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 1: on the paper on paper, if it makes sense, then 428 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:43,399 Speaker 1: let's make this change because now we don't have to 429 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:46,200 Speaker 1: worry about drivers. Also, I mean, there are a ton 430 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 1: of issues that I've talked about about how Uber drivers 431 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 1: have had. There's been some terrible incidents with Uber drivers 432 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:56,439 Speaker 1: and passengers. You don't have to worry about that with 433 00:21:56,480 --> 00:22:00,439 Speaker 1: a robot like that. Yeah. So there there's that as well. 434 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 1: So there's a very attractive case to be made for 435 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:05,879 Speaker 1: a service like Uber to make the switch. And I 436 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 1: think that for autonomous cars to become a reality where 437 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:13,959 Speaker 1: we can jump into one on any given day, at 438 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,160 Speaker 1: least in the near future, it's going to be through 439 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:18,359 Speaker 1: something like if it's not Uber, it's going to be 440 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: something very similar to Uber. And it's not likely to 441 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:25,280 Speaker 1: be a world where I go out to the dealership 442 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:28,880 Speaker 1: and I buy an autonomous car. I mean, I hope 443 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:31,640 Speaker 1: to make enough money where that could be a reality 444 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:34,479 Speaker 1: for me. But I'm not being honestly in you know, 445 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,560 Speaker 1: as they always say ten years, you never know. I mean, 446 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 1: you really never know what's gonna be out there and 447 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 1: what's what's the what what the price point is going 448 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 1: to be on it, because they may bring it down. 449 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:45,200 Speaker 1: I know, the cars are continually getting more and more expensive. 450 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:48,080 Speaker 1: And then to add that autonomous feature onto it, as 451 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: we said, it's going to add quite a bit of money. 452 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:52,040 Speaker 1: But if that's a feature that you have to have 453 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:53,760 Speaker 1: in a vehicle or you really want to have in 454 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 1: a vehicle, it's a it's probably more of a want 455 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 1: thing if you're buying a car. UM I think that 456 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 1: I think plenty of people will buy a car that's 457 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:05,639 Speaker 1: autonomous from a dealership. I mean individuals, not just fleet 458 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,200 Speaker 1: managers that are you looking to save money on delivery 459 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: vehicles or something that can make um you know, instead 460 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:14,399 Speaker 1: of delivering people, they're delivering products, right, Um, yeah, like 461 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 1: like Amazon or ups or fed X or whatever. Yeah, 462 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 1: imagine having an automated FedEx truck drive up to your 463 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:23,120 Speaker 1: house and and somehow get that package to your door. 464 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 1: I guess maybe you'd have to come out and get 465 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 1: it yourself, and would be an awful system. Yeah there 466 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 1: my catapult, I mean exactly, or or or you know, 467 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:33,440 Speaker 1: just it's a truck that's just carrying drones. Oh that's 468 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:35,439 Speaker 1: the drones fly out the back and drop the package 469 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:37,639 Speaker 1: off and then drive back in and the drones make 470 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: last thirty feet is what you're saying. That's a good idea, Yeah, 471 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:42,639 Speaker 1: because then you just end up having to you know, 472 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 1: like I said, if you have the charging stations inside 473 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:47,919 Speaker 1: the vehicle, then the drones are constantly recharging their batteries. 474 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:50,399 Speaker 1: They don't have to worry about running down after one trip. 475 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:53,639 Speaker 1: Not bad, I mean, you know, I'm just saying, if 476 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:56,200 Speaker 1: you want to use that idea, I can be paid. 477 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 1: All right. So well, well, let me let me paint 478 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:01,680 Speaker 1: for you what I what I think would be Scott's 479 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 1: dystopian future, the Nightmarish future. So let's say that you know, 480 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 1: one of the arguments I've seen about about the uber 481 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:14,400 Speaker 1: electric autonomous fleet UH. In support of it is that 482 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 1: it would negate the need to own a car in 483 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:22,560 Speaker 1: dense urban environments. So UH. In in New York City, 484 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 1: for example, the average of the number of people who 485 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:31,200 Speaker 1: own vehicles is well below that of the national average. 486 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:34,560 Speaker 1: National average, I think it's somewhere in the range of 487 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:40,600 Speaker 1: of households own a car. In Manhattan it's at it's lowest. 488 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:46,880 Speaker 1: It's somewhere like around or so. Parking is at a premium. UH. 489 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 1: And you know, there are other alternatives to getting around. 490 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:54,199 Speaker 1: And if if most of your travel is within you know, 491 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:56,679 Speaker 1: just a few miles of where you live, then you 492 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,479 Speaker 1: can take cabs, the subway, or walk to a lot 493 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:02,160 Speaker 1: of your desk nations, you don't need a car. UH. 494 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:05,399 Speaker 1: There the other boroughs in New York the numbers are higher, 495 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:07,399 Speaker 1: I think, like in Brooklyn it's slightly higher. And then 496 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 1: by the time you get to Long Island and it's 497 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:11,520 Speaker 1: it's closer to the national average. It's still below it, 498 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:16,040 Speaker 1: but it's closer. UM. So let's say we go into 499 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: a future where, at least for dense and urban environments, 500 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:24,400 Speaker 1: the need to own a car is completely removed because 501 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:27,399 Speaker 1: you've got this fleet of electric vehicles will come and 502 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 1: pick you up on demand. You don't have to worry 503 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 1: about where you're going. You know, the fact that you 504 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 1: own a piece of property that is incredibly expensive and 505 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:37,679 Speaker 1: nine of the time is sitting idle, would mean that 506 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:39,840 Speaker 1: you would be able to use that space, that and 507 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:44,479 Speaker 1: that money for something else, assuming of course, that the 508 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:49,320 Speaker 1: cost you would incur taking these trips from this service 509 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:51,440 Speaker 1: would be less than what it would be to own 510 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:53,679 Speaker 1: and maintain a vehicle. And if you want to go 511 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:56,000 Speaker 1: outside of the city, you would rent the vehicle for 512 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:57,639 Speaker 1: the day, or for the week, or however long you 513 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:00,359 Speaker 1: need it, right right, So, so let to say that 514 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:03,720 Speaker 1: we are on in this future where you no longer 515 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:07,879 Speaker 1: need to own a car because of the reasons I've said, 516 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:14,400 Speaker 1: and because it's been demonstrated that that autonomous vehicles are safer, 517 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,919 Speaker 1: is now illegal for humans to operate a car. What 518 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:21,120 Speaker 1: do you think of that, fat, I do not like 519 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 1: that that. I mean taking that out of the hands 520 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 1: of individuals. I mean, to be able to drive, they 521 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:29,040 Speaker 1: have the freedom to drive a vehicle. Yeah, oh man, 522 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 1: that's that's an awful thought. Jan Yeah, it's it's coming Scott. 523 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:36,640 Speaker 1: That day is con be illegal to drive. I'd say 524 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:40,679 Speaker 1: within fifteen years. Fifteen years it will be illegal for 525 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:44,920 Speaker 1: a human operator car because the the can't believe what 526 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:47,879 Speaker 1: I'm hearing, the demonstration of how you know the fact 527 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:52,399 Speaker 1: that that there will be a dramatic reduction in UH accidents. 528 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:55,400 Speaker 1: There will be that. Thus, there will be this whole 529 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:58,840 Speaker 1: change in the insurance landscape, there will be a big 530 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:02,200 Speaker 1: change in the medical escape. It will cost less money 531 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 1: for across multiple industries to have this in place, that 532 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:11,639 Speaker 1: the idea of a person operating a vehicle would be 533 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:16,359 Speaker 1: such a huge monetary cost, let alone the ability or 534 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:19,320 Speaker 1: the the potential for an accident to happen. It will 535 00:27:19,359 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 1: be illegal for a human being top right a car. 536 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:25,359 Speaker 1: I really can't believe that here in fifteen years. I 537 00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:28,199 Speaker 1: think is being really super aggressive with that prediction. But 538 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:29,879 Speaker 1: it is going to happen. I don't think that there 539 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:32,199 Speaker 1: are enough people that would give up that freedom, you know, 540 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 1: that would say, well, you know, you say that, but 541 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 1: you may get legal and then suddenly, I mean granted 542 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 1: that there are votes held on it. I'm sure there 543 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 1: will be a lot of resistance, but it will become 544 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:45,400 Speaker 1: more and more difficult to hold out against that, and 545 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:48,359 Speaker 1: keep in mind we also have a generation behind us 546 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 1: Scott of people who don't want to own cars. Okay, 547 00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:54,360 Speaker 1: there's a boy, Where do I start with this one? 548 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 1: I don't think that's true either. I really don't think that. 549 00:27:57,119 --> 00:27:58,639 Speaker 1: You don't think that. The only thing that there's a 550 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 1: generation of millennials who are uh not as interested in 551 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 1: owning a vehicle because of the costs and and other 552 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:07,440 Speaker 1: things things associated with it. I'm not buying that. I don't. 553 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:09,359 Speaker 1: I don't really get the I don't think the numbers 554 00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:10,879 Speaker 1: are what they say they are. I think that I 555 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:13,199 Speaker 1: think there are more kids that still want that freedom, 556 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:15,359 Speaker 1: still want to be able to go out and you know, 557 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:17,440 Speaker 1: go somewhere on their own. I don't think that the 558 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 1: cell phone or the uh, you know, the smartphones has 559 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:24,119 Speaker 1: completely replaced the automobile, because that's what the argument is, right, 560 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:26,520 Speaker 1: is that you know, if I can you know, Instagram 561 00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 1: or snapchat with my friends all day, I don't really 562 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:30,800 Speaker 1: need to drive over their house anymore. I don't. I 563 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 1: don't think that's really the case. I think people still 564 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:36,000 Speaker 1: will want to interact with each other and still but 565 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: in the future where you have your smartphone and that's 566 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 1: what brings the car to you, and then you're the 567 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 1: car goes away and you don't have to worry about 568 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:45,560 Speaker 1: it again. I'm not gonna win this name. That's the smartphone, 569 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:48,840 Speaker 1: still the king, just saying welcome to my future. This 570 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:50,960 Speaker 1: has a bit of a feel of almost like not 571 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 1: got you journalism, but like I set up like it's 572 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:57,440 Speaker 1: a trap, grinning like a chess air cat when I 573 00:28:57,440 --> 00:28:59,280 Speaker 1: walked in there, so I knew that something was but 574 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:01,479 Speaker 1: I didn't. You're gonna me with Cars will be illegal 575 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:06,440 Speaker 1: in years car ownership and will not not even car ownership, 576 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: but car operation will be illegal in fifteen years. Cars 577 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 1: themselves will still be perfectly legal. They just have to 578 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:16,400 Speaker 1: be operated by a machine the government, well by by 579 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 1: giant corporations, which is one step away from the government. 580 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 1: Commentary over from Jonathan Strickland. But we're not I was 581 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 1: mostly winding you up, Scott. We're mostly winding up. But 582 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:32,280 Speaker 1: I will say that there are a lot of people 583 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:35,040 Speaker 1: who actually argue that this is in fact the way 584 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:38,160 Speaker 1: things are going to move, because again, it will get 585 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:41,760 Speaker 1: harder and harder to make the argument against this movement 586 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:45,240 Speaker 1: simply from a numbers perspective, if you're able to say, like, well, 587 00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:48,960 Speaker 1: look at the number of deaths that occurred due to 588 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:52,680 Speaker 1: automobile accidents and see how far they've dropped since autonomous 589 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:58,760 Speaker 1: cars have become um, you know, increasingly popular, and ultimately 590 00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:01,720 Speaker 1: that may drive legislation. I think that in the United 591 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 1: States it really will take longer than fifteen years for 592 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:07,680 Speaker 1: this to happen now, probably because we have such a 593 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 1: car culture here. It's not gonna happen. It is going 594 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:13,000 Speaker 1: to happen. So but but I'll tell you what I'll 595 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:14,760 Speaker 1: put it. I'll put it off far enough where you 596 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:17,200 Speaker 1: won't have to worry about it, right, Like it's like 597 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:21,080 Speaker 1: seventy years from now. Well that way, see, I'm in 598 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:26,280 Speaker 1: case there's some incredible like life prolonging technologies. I want 599 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:28,880 Speaker 1: you to be comfortable. So I'm glad you didn't say 600 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 1: like that. I'll put it off into like seventeen years 601 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 1: you want to, I don't want to tell you, but 602 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 1: I've got planned for you in sixteen years, you know, 603 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:40,160 Speaker 1: we'll tell you what. Who's you know who's really mad 604 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 1: about Uber to begin with is his cab drivers. And 605 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 1: just wait until you start taking people out of those 606 00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:50,360 Speaker 1: Uber vehicles and yeah, that's going to make them just 607 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: over the top angry. Well, and I actually I did 608 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 1: an episode of forward thinking about robo taxis, and at 609 00:30:56,840 --> 00:30:58,760 Speaker 1: the end of it I asked the question. I said, 610 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 1: maybe we should actually have some compassion and think ahead 611 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:04,000 Speaker 1: of time, say all right, well, if this is in 612 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:06,880 Speaker 1: fact inevitable, if if this is the future we are 613 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:10,840 Speaker 1: headed to, and it seems like that's a fair bet now, 614 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:13,080 Speaker 1: But of course you can never say that for sure. Right, 615 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 1: That's the thing about the future. It's unpredictable when you 616 00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:17,719 Speaker 1: get down to it. But assuming that that is in 617 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:19,800 Speaker 1: fact the path we are headed down, and that is 618 00:31:19,840 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 1: the destination we will arrive at, maybe behooves us to 619 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 1: go ahead and have the conversation of what what sort 620 00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:28,680 Speaker 1: of opportunities do we look at? How do we where 621 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:30,920 Speaker 1: do we look to transition the people who are taking 622 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:34,680 Speaker 1: on driving as a profession, and what other things could 623 00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: we look at as because as making an alternative to 624 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:40,800 Speaker 1: them so that they can still make a living. And 625 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:45,240 Speaker 1: the biggest answers I got were why are we worried 626 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 1: about that? Why are we worried about these people? And 627 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 1: I said, well, because I have compassion and I worry 628 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:52,760 Speaker 1: about people who would be impact and they said, well, 629 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 1: you know, we've never really worried about that in the past. 630 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:59,400 Speaker 1: Like when the loom was invented. You didn't see a 631 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:02,920 Speaker 1: huge outcry of what are we what are all these 632 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 1: poor weavers going to do? And I thought, no, we 633 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:08,360 Speaker 1: had revolutions instead and riots, and that what I'm saying 634 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:13,800 Speaker 1: is that perhaps maybe some forward thinking about what these 635 00:32:13,840 --> 00:32:18,200 Speaker 1: folks should be doing in lieu of professional driving could 636 00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:22,200 Speaker 1: be preferable to having riots in the streets. You know, 637 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:26,320 Speaker 1: there have actually been violent riots in response to Uber, 638 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 1: specifically in Paris. How certainly, yeah, people get people are 639 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 1: just outright, well, cab drivers are outraged, and companies are outraged. 640 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:35,959 Speaker 1: And to some degree of success, uh, they have they 641 00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:39,400 Speaker 1: have kept Uber out of certain cities, certain regions. Spain 642 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:45,120 Speaker 1: and Thailand have banned Uber. China in Portland, Oregon sued 643 00:32:45,320 --> 00:32:48,040 Speaker 1: Uber for coming into Portland. I got a lot of 644 00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:52,480 Speaker 1: thoughts about Portland save that for Portlandia episode Nevada. I think, um, 645 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:55,440 Speaker 1: what's another one? New Mexico? Maybe is that right? I'm 646 00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 1: not sure about other states, but I do know that, 647 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:01,640 Speaker 1: uh what an Anchorage, Alaska Uber pulled out of anchorage. 648 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:04,880 Speaker 1: They had gone in and then after hitting a lot 649 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 1: of resistance, decided that it wasn't worth the while of 650 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:11,000 Speaker 1: fighting that fight and left. And Uh, I feel like 651 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:14,040 Speaker 1: every week there's another city or another region that says 652 00:33:14,760 --> 00:33:17,160 Speaker 1: we're we're outlawing it in this area. Can't you're not 653 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:19,120 Speaker 1: allowed to pick up at the airport, You're not allowed 654 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:22,920 Speaker 1: to you know, deliver guests to this this hotel region 655 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: inside of this convention region. I guess where the center is. 656 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:28,720 Speaker 1: And there's been a lot of of of battles back 657 00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:30,760 Speaker 1: and forth on that, and some of them just end 658 00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:34,760 Speaker 1: up eventually resulting in regulations being passed that that put 659 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:41,040 Speaker 1: Uber under essentially the same restrictions and and um responsibilities 660 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:44,400 Speaker 1: as like a taxi service, so drivers would have to 661 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:46,520 Speaker 1: go and get a permit from issued by the state, 662 00:33:46,560 --> 00:33:49,560 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff. Where where it ends up making 663 00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: it a more level playing ground between Uber and existing services. Now, 664 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:56,120 Speaker 1: there's some people who argue that's the wrong way of 665 00:33:56,160 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 1: looking at it, that the taxi regulations are based out 666 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:03,800 Speaker 1: an old and now outdated mode of thinking, and that 667 00:34:03,880 --> 00:34:06,760 Speaker 1: this Uber approach is really the way we should be 668 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:10,640 Speaker 1: moving forward. It is pretty antiquated with especially the medallion system. 669 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:14,120 Speaker 1: And that's something that I know that's a thorn in 670 00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 1: a lot of people's side. Yeah, I heard that. I 671 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:18,799 Speaker 1: think in two thousand thirteen, a medallion in New York 672 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:22,200 Speaker 1: costs one and a half million dollars something like that. 673 00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:25,840 Speaker 1: I might be off numbers as of today, Okay, I 674 00:34:25,840 --> 00:34:27,879 Speaker 1: looked at these today. I went to a site called 675 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:31,160 Speaker 1: New York City cab dot com and that's where they buy, sell, 676 00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:34,520 Speaker 1: and lease medallions. And you can go there right now 677 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:36,319 Speaker 1: and check out what you know, what the going rate 678 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:38,360 Speaker 1: is right now. But today the lowest price for a 679 00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:41,840 Speaker 1: single medallion as of this morning was seven hundred and 680 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:44,440 Speaker 1: thirty thousand dollars for the lowest price one that I saw, 681 00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:45,959 Speaker 1: at least on the top, you know, the front page. 682 00:34:45,960 --> 00:34:48,160 Speaker 1: I think there were several pages. But after you get 683 00:34:48,160 --> 00:34:49,879 Speaker 1: past the first page, he gets into like a lot 684 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:54,200 Speaker 1: of leasing situations. So um, around eight hundred to eight 685 00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:57,359 Speaker 1: hundred twenty thousand dollars was more typical. So I saw 686 00:34:57,400 --> 00:35:00,960 Speaker 1: several for that individual medallions. And then a lot of 687 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:03,440 Speaker 1: places are a lot of people were selling sets of two, 688 00:35:03,719 --> 00:35:06,160 Speaker 1: so probably cab companies that have gone under, you know 689 00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:09,200 Speaker 1: company meaning two or four vehicles maybe, but they're still 690 00:35:09,239 --> 00:35:11,359 Speaker 1: in two at a time. The highest prices software set 691 00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:15,160 Speaker 1: it too, was one point seven million dollars a little 692 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:18,279 Speaker 1: bit over that, and uh, I think the there were 693 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:21,359 Speaker 1: lots of sets for two of two. Rather they were 694 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:23,799 Speaker 1: going for about one point six million dollars. So it's 695 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:27,920 Speaker 1: expensive and medallions are essentially that's the authorization of operating 696 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:30,680 Speaker 1: a vehicle as a cab, and that's gone way way up. 697 00:35:30,719 --> 00:35:32,719 Speaker 1: Because the another site that I went to, and I 698 00:35:32,719 --> 00:35:35,640 Speaker 1: can't remember where this came from, but I quickly scribbled 699 00:35:35,640 --> 00:35:38,120 Speaker 1: down these notes because I found it pretty fascinating that, 700 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:40,560 Speaker 1: you know, it wasn't that long ago. You know, they 701 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:43,160 Speaker 1: weren't a million dollars always. You know, they've become more 702 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:44,960 Speaker 1: and more valuable. So good for the people that are 703 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:46,960 Speaker 1: holding onto these medallions because they could sell them at 704 00:35:46,960 --> 00:35:50,200 Speaker 1: that price. Those that bought them early on, they made 705 00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:53,000 Speaker 1: quite a bit of money because um, in mid just 706 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:55,520 Speaker 1: in mid two thousand eleven, it was less than three 707 00:35:55,600 --> 00:35:58,560 Speaker 1: quarters of that price, so that's reasonable. In two thousand 708 00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:00,640 Speaker 1: eight it was almost half the price, and we're talking 709 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:03,480 Speaker 1: about the million dollar price, so um, you know, in 710 00:36:03,520 --> 00:36:06,120 Speaker 1: two thousand eight it was about five hundred thousand in 711 00:36:06,160 --> 00:36:07,960 Speaker 1: two thousand four, or was about a third of the 712 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:10,799 Speaker 1: price of about three hundred thousand, and if you had 713 00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:12,879 Speaker 1: gone all the way back to eight to buy one, 714 00:36:13,239 --> 00:36:16,200 Speaker 1: it's about one thousand dollars one thousand, and right now 715 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:18,279 Speaker 1: you could sell it for eight hundred thousand dollars. I 716 00:36:18,320 --> 00:36:20,960 Speaker 1: think when they first started selling medallion's way back when 717 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:23,600 Speaker 1: it first started, it was ten bucks ten dollars, but 718 00:36:23,640 --> 00:36:25,960 Speaker 1: then it was also ten bucks in like nineteen thirties 719 00:36:26,080 --> 00:36:28,160 Speaker 1: or some money, I guess. But there's but there's only 720 00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:31,160 Speaker 1: a certain number of medallions available, and that's the thing. 721 00:36:31,200 --> 00:36:34,320 Speaker 1: It's a limited commodity. So there's what thirteen thousand I 722 00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:37,279 Speaker 1: think that somewhere somewhere in the five hundred neighborhood. And 723 00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:39,680 Speaker 1: not all of those get sold every year, Only a 724 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:43,239 Speaker 1: very small number exchange hands every year. But every year 725 00:36:43,239 --> 00:36:45,440 Speaker 1: it goes up, up, up, and it gets to this 726 00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 1: astronomical level of where, you know, to buy two of them, 727 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:51,120 Speaker 1: now you're gonna pay a million six And see, that's 728 00:36:51,160 --> 00:36:54,440 Speaker 1: a that's a that's a world. That's you can understand 729 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:57,440 Speaker 1: why there's this incredible reaction to Uber because that's the 730 00:36:57,480 --> 00:37:02,120 Speaker 1: world that's been you know, really ensconced and and and 731 00:37:02,120 --> 00:37:05,880 Speaker 1: and almost like a fortress has been built around that business. Well, 732 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:07,719 Speaker 1: if they're allowed to come in, that means that those 733 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:11,840 Speaker 1: tokens are essentially worthless. Yeah, yeah, and there are worth 734 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:13,880 Speaker 1: nothing to them at that point, and that that would 735 00:37:13,880 --> 00:37:16,640 Speaker 1: be so frustrating to see that come in and happen. 736 00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:19,719 Speaker 1: I understand that, I completely get it, but you do 737 00:37:19,840 --> 00:37:21,319 Speaker 1: have to kind of look at the way things are 738 00:37:21,320 --> 00:37:24,560 Speaker 1: going I mean, this is like you I feel, this 739 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:27,400 Speaker 1: is the way that things are going to change. It's 740 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:29,200 Speaker 1: going to it's going to uh, it's going to have 741 00:37:29,239 --> 00:37:33,839 Speaker 1: to happen this really Yeah. So that's why I keep asking, like, well, 742 00:37:33,880 --> 00:37:36,279 Speaker 1: what we need to think about these things ahead of 743 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:38,920 Speaker 1: time so that we can at least make the transition 744 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:41,799 Speaker 1: as smooth as possible. If it's going to happen, then 745 00:37:41,880 --> 00:37:44,680 Speaker 1: let's not you know, put as much energy into fighting 746 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:48,600 Speaker 1: it or delaying it. Let's put that energy into, well, 747 00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:51,240 Speaker 1: what are some practical ways that we can make sure 748 00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:54,040 Speaker 1: the people who are going to be negatively impacted by 749 00:37:54,080 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 1: this are able to find other means of making a 750 00:37:57,560 --> 00:38:02,320 Speaker 1: living and less worry about you know, let's put that 751 00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:04,120 Speaker 1: off until next year, because we're still gonna have to 752 00:38:04,120 --> 00:38:06,200 Speaker 1: deal with it. Let's just let's let's put the energy 753 00:38:06,239 --> 00:38:08,640 Speaker 1: to dealing with it now, coming up with some answers 754 00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:14,239 Speaker 1: so that when this inevitable transition happens, it isn't like 755 00:38:14,719 --> 00:38:17,799 Speaker 1: an incredibly disruptive, painful time. Well, you know, if your 756 00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:20,239 Speaker 1: game is driving, that's your thing, that's your career, that's 757 00:38:20,239 --> 00:38:23,719 Speaker 1: your your chosen path. Uh, it's not like everything is 758 00:38:23,719 --> 00:38:26,120 Speaker 1: gonna switch overnight either. So you're gonna be able to 759 00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:28,320 Speaker 1: move to something else that you know, it may be 760 00:38:28,480 --> 00:38:30,600 Speaker 1: more or less profitable than what you're doing now, but 761 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:33,279 Speaker 1: you're still gonna be able to do what you've been 762 00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:35,080 Speaker 1: trained to do or what you have done for the 763 00:38:35,120 --> 00:38:39,240 Speaker 1: last twenty years or whatever. Find a different way to 764 00:38:39,360 --> 00:38:42,000 Speaker 1: use that skill in some other form, in another in 765 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:45,839 Speaker 1: another industry. Maybe you're maybe you're you know, I hate 766 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:48,759 Speaker 1: to even say like alternatives to it, but um, let's 767 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:51,520 Speaker 1: say that you're, you know, running documents across town all day, 768 00:38:51,560 --> 00:38:53,960 Speaker 1: you know, for a law firm. Um, but you're making 769 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:56,920 Speaker 1: money driving again, or you're working for a hospital delivering 770 00:38:57,160 --> 00:38:59,960 Speaker 1: you know, needed medical supplies or something like that. Fine, 771 00:39:00,239 --> 00:39:03,360 Speaker 1: find other alternative routes to uh, you know, to to 772 00:39:03,440 --> 00:39:06,160 Speaker 1: explore with this, and I don't think you know, the 773 00:39:06,200 --> 00:39:07,840 Speaker 1: camp rivers need to be afraid that they're going to 774 00:39:07,920 --> 00:39:11,520 Speaker 1: be completely shut out, you know, overnight. No, it's not 775 00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:13,440 Speaker 1: gonna happen. Now. That's why I say, like it's it's 776 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:15,520 Speaker 1: good to think of it ahead of time, so that way, 777 00:39:16,040 --> 00:39:19,080 Speaker 1: as the transition happens, you have a plan in place, 778 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:23,000 Speaker 1: as opposed to that inevitable day comes where you get 779 00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:26,960 Speaker 1: your pink slip because the robots are taking over. Right. 780 00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:29,000 Speaker 1: So I mean, then, by the way, when when I 781 00:39:29,040 --> 00:39:31,399 Speaker 1: talk about this, it's not just with drivers. I mean 782 00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:33,640 Speaker 1: there's so many jobs that are going to be replaced 783 00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:36,000 Speaker 1: through automation. And we're already seeing that. I mean, we've 784 00:39:36,040 --> 00:39:39,000 Speaker 1: seen that in lots of industries already. It's a story 785 00:39:39,040 --> 00:39:41,759 Speaker 1: that's happened over and over again. It will eventually hit 786 00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:44,880 Speaker 1: pretty much every job that's out there. And when the 787 00:39:44,960 --> 00:39:48,520 Speaker 1: robo podcast start, I guess I'll subscribe and I'll just 788 00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:52,680 Speaker 1: weep little tears. You think it will happen someday, I 789 00:39:52,719 --> 00:39:55,120 Speaker 1: don't know. Maybe. I mean if we ever, if we 790 00:39:55,200 --> 00:39:59,560 Speaker 1: ever can create an artificial intelligence that can actually innovate 791 00:39:59,800 --> 00:40:02,840 Speaker 1: as in come up with interesting things to say and 792 00:40:02,920 --> 00:40:07,319 Speaker 1: not just parrot them and repeat them. I'm out of 793 00:40:07,320 --> 00:40:09,480 Speaker 1: a job all day. You know, I'm all for a 794 00:40:09,560 --> 00:40:11,680 Speaker 1: robot running the Car Stuff podcast, as long as does 795 00:40:11,719 --> 00:40:13,600 Speaker 1: it stumble around as much as I do, because I 796 00:40:14,239 --> 00:40:17,320 Speaker 1: tend to wander off on you know, um just stories 797 00:40:17,360 --> 00:40:20,839 Speaker 1: they go nowhere, Like I got a story to tell you, 798 00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:23,040 Speaker 1: but there's going to be a fifteen parter to lead 799 00:40:23,120 --> 00:40:26,879 Speaker 1: into the story bar on that issue. Yeah, I'm all. 800 00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:29,400 Speaker 1: I'm all about that myself for for all of the 801 00:40:29,440 --> 00:40:32,000 Speaker 1: podcasts I do. Scott, thank you for coming on here 802 00:40:32,120 --> 00:40:35,000 Speaker 1: and giving your perspective on these things. That was a 803 00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:37,759 Speaker 1: lot of fun to to chat with you about this 804 00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:40,560 Speaker 1: because obviously we come from this from two very different 805 00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:44,040 Speaker 1: points of view, right. I mean I don't drive, um, 806 00:40:44,080 --> 00:40:48,080 Speaker 1: and clearly you hate cars. Yeah, that's it. I despice cars. 807 00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:53,280 Speaker 1: I have. I I hissedet them vampires style and whenever 808 00:40:53,320 --> 00:40:55,480 Speaker 1: I see one. No, I don't hate cars, but I 809 00:40:55,520 --> 00:40:58,960 Speaker 1: certainly don't like driving. So um, in my world, the 810 00:40:59,040 --> 00:41:03,680 Speaker 1: idea of an electric vehicle that can autonomously take me 811 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:06,480 Speaker 1: from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently 812 00:41:06,520 --> 00:41:08,520 Speaker 1: as possible, and I don't have to worry about it, 813 00:41:08,920 --> 00:41:12,359 Speaker 1: you know, doing the crossword while trying to drive, which, 814 00:41:12,400 --> 00:41:14,959 Speaker 1: by the way, I have been in a cab where 815 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:18,600 Speaker 1: the cab driver was filling out a crossword puzzle while 816 00:41:18,719 --> 00:41:22,040 Speaker 1: navigating the streets of New York. Yeah, I would never 817 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:24,520 Speaker 1: have to worry about that. I want that world to happen. 818 00:41:24,560 --> 00:41:27,400 Speaker 1: But then I'm not Also, I'm also a person who 819 00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:29,440 Speaker 1: and I'm in the minority in the United States, I 820 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:33,440 Speaker 1: would argue person who does not find any joy in driving. 821 00:41:33,719 --> 00:41:36,920 Speaker 1: So for me, this is precisely what I would want. 822 00:41:37,080 --> 00:41:39,080 Speaker 1: You know what, I totally understand that I know that 823 00:41:39,080 --> 00:41:41,359 Speaker 1: there are people that that can't drive that would also 824 00:41:41,360 --> 00:41:43,799 Speaker 1: appreciate this sure and that in fact, I talked about 825 00:41:43,840 --> 00:41:46,360 Speaker 1: that a little bit in the first part of this podcast, 826 00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:50,839 Speaker 1: where one of the big complaints about uber right now 827 00:41:51,080 --> 00:41:53,800 Speaker 1: is that people with disabilities say that it's not nearly 828 00:41:53,840 --> 00:41:57,400 Speaker 1: accessible enough for those people and that that's something that 829 00:41:57,440 --> 00:42:00,759 Speaker 1: needs to change. And if that did change, it would 830 00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:04,560 Speaker 1: be I mean, the amount of independence that gives somebody 831 00:42:04,840 --> 00:42:07,560 Speaker 1: is it's difficult to explain to someone who has taken 832 00:42:07,560 --> 00:42:10,080 Speaker 1: it for granted. And not only disability, You've got to 833 00:42:10,080 --> 00:42:12,960 Speaker 1: think about aging as well. People that you know, are 834 00:42:13,280 --> 00:42:15,600 Speaker 1: simply get to a point where they're unable to, you know, 835 00:42:15,760 --> 00:42:18,640 Speaker 1: maintain their own license. You know, vision or hearing or 836 00:42:18,680 --> 00:42:21,600 Speaker 1: whatever happens to be. It's usually vision or um, you know, 837 00:42:21,640 --> 00:42:25,839 Speaker 1: physical ability. And this would extend the time that they're 838 00:42:25,920 --> 00:42:28,520 Speaker 1: they have a bit of freedom to move around the city. 839 00:42:28,800 --> 00:42:31,759 Speaker 1: And that's that is very I mean, it's it's it's 840 00:42:31,800 --> 00:42:35,800 Speaker 1: incredibly important. We have an increasingly large aging population in 841 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:39,239 Speaker 1: the United States where giving that amount of independence and 842 00:42:39,320 --> 00:42:42,800 Speaker 1: extending the independence to someone, I mean, it's difficult to 843 00:42:42,800 --> 00:42:44,920 Speaker 1: put into words how important that is. And you know 844 00:42:45,040 --> 00:42:47,680 Speaker 1: how I mean, just one other level to that whole 845 00:42:47,719 --> 00:42:49,960 Speaker 1: thing is that you know, when you get older like 846 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:52,680 Speaker 1: that and you're not you're not quite as as I 847 00:42:52,719 --> 00:42:54,640 Speaker 1: guess you're a little more frail than you where when 848 00:42:54,640 --> 00:42:58,399 Speaker 1: you're younger. Um, there's also the safety concern into a cab. 849 00:42:58,520 --> 00:42:59,840 Speaker 1: You know what's going to happen. You know, you're you 850 00:42:59,840 --> 00:43:01,960 Speaker 1: don't know who this person is this picking you up. Yeah, 851 00:43:02,000 --> 00:43:04,000 Speaker 1: I would think that a lot of senior citizens that 852 00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:07,040 Speaker 1: are beyond driving age would feel comfortable getting into a 853 00:43:07,120 --> 00:43:09,839 Speaker 1: vehicle that doesn't have anybody in there. It's it's very 854 00:43:09,840 --> 00:43:11,920 Speaker 1: secure it's very safe. You can lock the doors and 855 00:43:12,160 --> 00:43:14,160 Speaker 1: you know the rest of the world's out there. It 856 00:43:14,160 --> 00:43:16,439 Speaker 1: takes you right to the shopping mall or wherever you're going, 857 00:43:16,719 --> 00:43:19,239 Speaker 1: brings you back home. It's it's pretty safe for it 858 00:43:19,280 --> 00:43:22,840 Speaker 1: for you. Really. Yeah, yeah, I definitely see lots of 859 00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:26,160 Speaker 1: positives about this. I mean, you know, you can't ignore 860 00:43:26,280 --> 00:43:30,600 Speaker 1: the the concerns obviously, but uh, seeing as this is 861 00:43:30,640 --> 00:43:34,359 Speaker 1: the way we both feel we're inevitably going to head, 862 00:43:35,160 --> 00:43:38,920 Speaker 1: I think there are worse futures that we could realize. 863 00:43:39,040 --> 00:43:41,520 Speaker 1: As much as I like to resist the idea, UM, 864 00:43:41,800 --> 00:43:45,040 Speaker 1: I do think it's coming. Yeah. I look forward to, 865 00:43:45,200 --> 00:43:49,520 Speaker 1: uh to revisiting this topic in fifteen years to get 866 00:43:49,560 --> 00:43:54,200 Speaker 1: your your tirade on the day when they outlaw human drivers. 867 00:43:55,360 --> 00:43:58,520 Speaker 1: Why did we ever put them in office? Uh, well, 868 00:43:58,560 --> 00:44:00,839 Speaker 1: that'll that they will will We'll have to wait over 869 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:03,479 Speaker 1: that day. In the meantime, if you want to check 870 00:44:03,520 --> 00:44:06,920 Speaker 1: out Scott's podcasts, and I highly recommend you do, I 871 00:44:07,080 --> 00:44:09,480 Speaker 1: think you need to go over and check out cars stuff. 872 00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:13,680 Speaker 1: You and Ben cover all sorts of topics. Uh and uh, 873 00:44:13,880 --> 00:44:18,319 Speaker 1: they're always incredibly informative and entertaining. Thank you appreciate that's 874 00:44:18,320 --> 00:44:22,000 Speaker 1: a the wonderful compliment, and we try to not make 875 00:44:22,000 --> 00:44:23,960 Speaker 1: it so dry all the time. We can get a 876 00:44:23,960 --> 00:44:26,160 Speaker 1: little history in there, some fun stuff too. It's not 877 00:44:26,320 --> 00:44:28,560 Speaker 1: just uh, you know, nuts and bolts type stuff. I 878 00:44:28,600 --> 00:44:30,640 Speaker 1: still I mean, like I listened to it. I'm one 879 00:44:30,680 --> 00:44:35,880 Speaker 1: of my favorite ones. I loved them. The coast to 880 00:44:35,920 --> 00:44:40,720 Speaker 1: coast racing. Oh yes, the fastest trip across the United States. 881 00:44:40,800 --> 00:44:42,200 Speaker 1: Right yeah, I think it might have been that one 882 00:44:42,280 --> 00:44:45,839 Speaker 1: ye Canniball run Gumball rally. Whenever we start talking about 883 00:44:45,840 --> 00:44:48,000 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff, I'm like, oh, because even though 884 00:44:48,000 --> 00:44:51,160 Speaker 1: I don't drive, I love those that idea, Like like, 885 00:44:51,640 --> 00:44:54,720 Speaker 1: all right, well let's let's let's break a few laws. 886 00:44:54,760 --> 00:44:56,520 Speaker 1: Maybe you're not as much of a hater as I 887 00:44:56,520 --> 00:44:58,279 Speaker 1: thought too. I am not as much of a hater. 888 00:44:58,600 --> 00:45:01,680 Speaker 1: Just I've got I got the hate filled up to 889 00:45:01,719 --> 00:45:04,440 Speaker 1: the threshold. Bits month speaking over the top. Good to know, 890 00:45:04,560 --> 00:45:06,719 Speaker 1: and thanks for having me on your show. By the way, 891 00:45:06,760 --> 00:45:08,600 Speaker 1: well thank you for for for jumping on at the 892 00:45:08,680 --> 00:45:11,480 Speaker 1: last minute. I really appreciate it. Always fun. All right, guys, 893 00:45:11,520 --> 00:45:14,160 Speaker 1: if you have any suggestions for future topics of tech stuff, 894 00:45:14,160 --> 00:45:16,280 Speaker 1: why don't you just send me an email that addresses 895 00:45:16,320 --> 00:45:18,480 Speaker 1: tech Stuff at how stuff works dot com or drop 896 00:45:18,560 --> 00:45:21,000 Speaker 1: me a line on Twitter or Facebook. I am tech 897 00:45:21,040 --> 00:45:23,200 Speaker 1: Stuff hs W both of those, and I'll talk to 898 00:45:23,200 --> 00:45:32,640 Speaker 1: you again really soon for more on this and batons 899 00:45:32,640 --> 00:45:43,920 Speaker 1: and other topics, because it has stuff works dot com