While I can certainly see the advantage of having the ability to get a ride, when needed, in a retirement community (no vehicle/lost license/physical challenges/inebriation/etc.), I'm ambivalent...as it applies to TV.
Self-Driving Cars in The Villages Poke Here
Quote:
NEW TECHNOLOGIES, from the Walkman to the iPhone, have tended to be adopted first by the young. But when it comes to self-driving cars, the most logical early adopters are the retired.
That, at least, is the conclusion reached by Voyage, a startup based in Silicon Valley. It is testing its autonomous vehicles (AVs) in The Villages, a retirement community in Florida with a population of 125,000 people. Retirement towns are ideally suited to AVs for three reasons, says Oliver Cameron, Voyage’s CEO.
First, the environment is simpler and easier for an AV to navigate than a bustling city centre. Speed limits are lower, road layouts are less complex and there are fewer other vehicles. Second, there is strong demand for mobility. Active retirees want the ability to get around but they may not want the expense and hassle of owning a car. For residents who are unable or have lost the confidence to drive, summoning a vehicle when needed has obvious appeal.
Prototype AVs have attracted criticism and outright hostility from locals in some parts of America.
Voyage has been warmly welcomed in The Villages, says Mr Cameron.
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"Simpler and easier," even with the plethora of roundabouts which so many 'live' drivers...have difficulties navigating?
"Warmly welcomed" by whom...and based on what?
Stay tuned...
