But, but, but the commercials said this would give us freedom?!? Yeah, right! 
The most enjoyable part about leaving my last job was turning in my smartphone and the 24/7 tether it was.
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Formula 1 cars were VERY close to that at one point! Then they removed nearly all the driver aids a number of years ago.
That doesn’t stop the engineers from modeling a “perfect” lap time for every track for nearly all race series. Race engineers have been doing that pretty successfully for well over 20 years. Race simulators where the drivers can learn a track, test out set-ups and generally prepare for races has been the norm for many many years.
Heck a few of those “sim” racers have graduated to real cars and done really well!
So when cars are eliminated they can just race using video simulators. Mother Earth will love it and you won’t even need to buy a ticket for the stadium to watch.
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I don’t know if you have heard, @bing, but professional computer gaming is a thing. A multi billion dollar thing. Playing video games and making a million bucks a year doing it.
I can see a day when sim car racing is as or more popular than the real thing. I will be sad that day, but I see it coming.
Ever heard of drone racing . . . ?!
As long as I’m fit to drive I want the independence to go or not go wherever and whenever I want, including spur of the moment decisions to go somewhere or change my itinerary at the next intersection. I also don’t want to have to use any form of taxi service, automated or otherwise, where you never know how clean the inside of a vehicle is, how it smells, etc. I also know that I keep my car safely maintained which is always an unknown in other cars.
I realize that personal modes of transportation are inevitably changing and that when I can no longer drive I will undoubtedly want reliable AI cars available. I’m just hoping I can keep safely driving myself for a long time yet!
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Everyone that has a washing machine and/or a stove raise your hand. Why would you do that when a guy will pick up and deliver your cleaning or meals whenever you want? Huh? To each their own. They’ll have to take my stove or washing machine with the Sheriff present.
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Nothing stopping you from doing that today in any of the chauffeured modes of transportation. The cabbie isn’t going to force you to go to the original stop you asked to go to. Have you even ridden in a cab or Uber?
Those cars have to pass the same safety inspections your car may be subjected to in order to be registered. A business has more to lose than some random schmuck driving next to you. Take a look around, well maybe better not to… 
I imagine there could be nasty cabs but I haven’t had that experience ever since no smoking laws. Again, businesses thrive on customer satisfaction.
Older generations don’t like change. The younger generations embrace it. The change will be gradual. I suspect when the first stove was invented, the older folks groused about people taking away their right to cook over a fire 
@TwinTurbo Yes, I’ve ridden in taxicabs in multiple cities. Experience has informed my opinion. And I’ve used public transportation such as buses to commute to work everyday here in St. Louis, trains to and from Hoboken NJ where I switched to the PATH train in and out of the old trade tower in New York City, NYC subways, BART light rail in and out of San Francisco, car ferries across rivers in the St. Louis area, both car ferries across Puget Sound and buses in the Seattle area, both prop planes and jet airplanes to and from multiple cities all across the country, ridden Amtrack from St. Louis to Milwaukee through changing trains in Chicago and then a bus up to Green Bay and then in reverse back again home, ridden a bus from OK to MO and back, etc. etc. etc. And ridden in various versions of taxis in cities large and small, including having appointments with call ride services to be picked up from home and later returned home.
I may be a middle aged approaching senior aged curmudgeon of sorts who still owns a manual typewriter but gee I’ve managed to keep learning and using quite a variety of computer programs at work and at home for the past forty years. I’ve even mastered the wonders of changing from using a manual reel lawnmower and hand clippers to a self propelled gas mower and electric powered string trimmer doing my own yardwork.
I AM adaptable to change. 
I just don’t like taxis of any sort.
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OK, I was responding to your concern about changing destinations enroute. Has that ever been a problem?
First, my apologies to you; I didn’t read closely enough to realize that was what you were addressing. My error.
Second, yes, changing destination and/or adding/subtracting to the itinerary of a taxi ride has been a problem sometimes. And I’m not talking about adding long distance or prolonged time to the ride. Some taxi drivers are quite polite, others adequate, and some just downright rude with nasty nasty vehicles and attitudes.
Of course, AI cars won’t have attitude (depending on how they are programmed!) but it will still be a gamble how clean the interior is and what it smells like.
No biggie but I was genuinely curious about your experiences. I haven’t run across CWA (Cabbies with attitude) yet. I think the TIP prospect (or lack thereof) has kept them in check for the most part.
That always reminds me of the Seinfeld episode with the valet with BO that permanently stinks up the car…
Maybe they should have a little…I thought about making my own GPS with some attitude built in. Instead of “re-calculating…” it would say “what part about take a left didn’t you understand?”
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