Ford to Launch Driverless cars in Austin, Texas in 2021

[mmcartalk]

Ford to Launch Driverless cars in Austin, Texas in 2021
Well, I hope it works out safely and no one gets hurt or killed. Ford has announced a program, in conjunction with the City of Austin, to experiment on a wide-scale driverless car program in 2021. Austin 's population growth has been tremendous, although the traffic is still nowhere near the level of D.C. or Los Angeles, and this is looked on a way to try and improve the available infrastructure.

Austin, unlike much of the rest of the the state, is a left-wing city, a college-town (University of Texas) and, by nature, receptive to programs like this by nature. It's not surprising that a program like this would start there. There may (?) also be upcoming programs in Washington and Miami.




And here is an unnarrated video, also without music, showing the actual prototype running around town.

 

[Sulu]

I don't know if "left-wing [cities]" factor into an automaker's decision-making process but I am willing to bet that Austin was chosen because it is a "high-tech" city (highly-educated, university city and so more receptive to new technology), in addition to it being a government city (state capital).

If a state government wants to be seen as receptive and welcoming of new technology, it is likely to start with its own capital.

 

[mmcartalk]

I don't know if "left-wing [cities]" factor into an automaker's decision-making process but I am willing to bet that Austin was chosen because it is a "high-tech" city (highly-educated, university city and so more receptive to new technology), in addition to it being a government city (state capital).

If a state government wants to be seen as receptive and welcoming of new technology, it is likely to start with its own capital.

Yes, I meant the term "left" as being generally receptive to new programs like this. The populace of Austin would, in general, not be as opposed to a program like this as much of the rest of the state.