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Originally Posted by Enoch Root
There was nothing inconvenient about switching to electricity. But I get your point.
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It was at one point looked at as an unecessary luxury by those that didn't want to pay for it though. People then, had the same concerns as people now when new things are introduced. It was inconvenient in the sense that communities had to splurge for the infrastructure and people needed to retrofit their structures. "Who is going to pay for it?" Will my taxes go up?"
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To the second bold: if automated cars mean substantially fewer accidents, won't that mean fewer accidents for those driving manually as well?
The other factor here, is that with automated driving readily available, primarily only 'drivers' will continue to drive. One of the reasons that higher speeds are safe and effective in Europe is that the quality of drivers is higher. And that is because not everyone drives. In NA, everybody drives because cities are built in such a way that everyone has to.
If octogenarians, soccer moms, and DWOs switched to automated vehicles, I would think the number of accidents, and therefore the cost of insurance, would plummet for everyone.
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I just don't see insurance companies agreeing to lose tonnes of money. I can see them jacking up prices and making it a luxury for the wealthy. Plus, as they become more rare, the cost of buying, owning and maintaining them will go up due to supply and demand. Much like insuring a high-end sports car or a classic car is now. Or horse and buggy insurance for that matter.