Cars and second order consequences
&gt; Though automatic driving should increase capacity...<p>Even if the advent of autonomous cars results in any increase of road capacity there is not likely to be any difference in traffic congestion. Things are likely to be the same as they are now, if not worse.<p>In general autonomous cars are a nightmare scenario for people who fight against the spread of automobile oriented infrastructure and urban sprawl.<p>The main problem is that autonomous cars massively incentivize car use, and the result of this will be that more people will choose to drive cars. This factor, combined with induced demand and combined with the unchangeable physical constraints of our built environment and car size, means that the roads will be just as gridlocked as they are now if nothing changes, and they&#x27;ll be worse if politicians make the wrong decisions and expand road capacity.<p>Some of the main things that discourage car ownership and use are costs, such as parking costs and insurance costs. The author points out these things are decreased or go away entirely with autonomous cars. Additionally the total potential group of drivers is increased, as you no longer need a license to drive. Now the very young and very old can also drive and the total potential amount of drivers increases.<p>Urban politicians are best off pretending autonomous cars don&#x27;t and won&#x27;t exist because it&#x27;s not going to be a solution to any of their problems.<p>&gt; What exactly are the differences in traffic dynamics between a Lyft Line shuttle with 5 passengers and a municipal bus with an off-peak load of 10?<p>I&#x27;m pretty sure transportation experts already know the answer to this given that independent small bus transit of the sort Lyft Line replicates is the norm in many third world countries. Given that first world countries have universally moved to centralized routes of large capacity buses it&#x27;s surely more efficient.<p>Tech companies should really at least talk with some people in the field they seek to disrupt before working on reinventing the wheel.