Tech Founder Foresees the Conclusion of Driving for Your Children and Possibly for You as Well | Carscoops

      Though robotaxis may represent the future, it will be quite some time before they achieve mainstream acceptance worldwide.

      20 hours ago

      by Brad Anderson

      Waze’s co-founder believes that Generation Beta will never have to learn how to drive.

      Levine forecasts that most paid mobility services will be completely driverless within a decade.

      The entrepreneur asserts that future cities may have hardly any human drivers on the roads.

      For many, driving a car is a routine part of life that requires little thought. However, for children born between now and 2039, referred to as Generation Beta, driving might be a concept they find entirely unfamiliar. Uri Levine, entrepreneur and co-founder of the navigation app Waze, which Google acquired for $1.3 billion in 2013, shares this perspective.

      Levine predicts that members of Generation Beta “will not drive” and suggests that “a generation later, if you tell them you used to drive cars, they will not believe you.” He likened cars to elevators, which in the past needed operators but no longer do.

      A Fully Autonomous Future?

      The Waze co-founder believes that robotaxis will eliminate the need for personal vehicle ownership. In a conversation with Business Insider, he mentioned that within a decade, most paid mobility and transportation services will be fully autonomous, resulting in “barely any drivers” in urban areas.

      This transition could have significant ramifications. Robotaxis could transform how we travel and disrupt the logistics sector while diminishing the reliance on traditional public transportation systems.

      Lower Costs, More Free Time

      Using self-driving services could also be more economical for consumers. Presently, a significant portion of the fare for Uber rides goes to the driver. Eliminating the driver could lower the cost from $100 to as low as $25. Additionally, autonomous transport services would free up considerable time that individuals would normally spend driving.

      The transformation could extend further. Levine envisions a future where visits to clothing or shoe stores may no longer be necessary, as stores could send autonomous vans to deliver items directly to consumers.

      Still a Long Road Ahead

      Crucially, this change won’t occur quickly. Waymo began offering autonomous rides in 2020 and, while it has provided millions of paid rides over the past five years, it currently operates in only a limited number of U.S. locations. In many countries, self-driving robotaxi services are still non-existent, and establishing similar services will likely take years, if not decades.

      So, what are your thoughts? Are you prepared to relinquish control to an algorithm? Or are you still holding on to your manual transmission, claiming your space on the road as a right? Either way, savor the experience while it lasts. Generation Beta may someday regard your road rage much like we view arguments over phone booths.