It's going two be a revolution comparable to the invention of the internet
The funny thing is, the revolution of the internet, being able to click on Amazon and just have a thing delivered (or from a million other websites) assumes a ubiquitous road network. Let's say you cut the number of cars on the road tenfold... Who pays for this now?
Just for some figures, taxes on motorist in the UK, which are mainly fuel, raise about £50Bn/year. Government spending on all forms of transport is about £25Bn/year. So let's say through self-driving cars, carpooling, more working from home, etc etc we do achieve a tenfold reduction, now far from paying for everything twice over, cars only pay for a fifth. Where does the money come from? And if it doesn't, how much of the "internet revolution" still works?
The funny thing is, the revolution of the internet, being able to click on Amazon and just have a thing delivered (or from a million other websites) assumes a ubiquitous road network. Let's say you cut the number of cars on the road tenfold... Who pays for this now?
Just for some figures, taxes on motorist in the UK, which are mainly fuel, raise about £50Bn/year. Government spending on all forms of transport is about £25Bn/year. So let's say through self-driving cars, carpooling, more working from home, etc etc we do achieve a tenfold reduction, now far from paying for everything twice over, cars only pay for a fifth. Where does the money come from? And if it doesn't, how much of the "internet revolution" still works?