Where is My Robot-Driving Car?

Driving a car. Such a simple, modern convenience. Driving is probably something most all of you do daily. You most likely drove somewhere even today, to work, school or even to get groceries or to hit a drive-through for dinner. I, on the other hand, have not driven a car in seventeen years. Do I miss it? Yep. I miss the freedom that it brought and the independence that it gave me. Unfortunately, with my low-vision, it just got to the point where it wasn’t safe for me to keep driving. I chose to give it up, soon after getting married. Now, I am completely reliant on others for vehicular transportation and to be honest, it stinks.

Then, I begin hearing news about major advancements in self-driving cars a few years back. What’s that you say? Cars that drive themselves and their passengers, places, a la the cars in the iRobot movie starring will Smith? Color me interested. And so I have waited, not so patiently. Numerous companies are doing live tests in urban environments. Tesla Motors is even offering auto-pilot features in certain driving situations.

But no one has rolled out a full, self-driving car yet. I want my Jetsons’ car and I want it sooner, not later. I always hear folks that drive say that they love the act of driving and would never give that up to a computer. Not me! I can’t wait for my robot-driving overlord to ferry me places. I can’t imagine what that feeling of freedom would feel like again. Plus, if my robot driver almost hits a pedestrian, I probably wouldn’t even notice. Since I don’t see that well anyway, thus the point of the robot driver in the first place.

So, let’s go Apple, Google, Tesla, or whoever gets there first. I will be first in line. If I can get someone to drive me to the line, that is.