Everybody has been so busy conjecturing on whether or not Apple is going to build a car that nobody is asking whether or not they should. The invention of the automobile changed the world. But the world has changed.
In a way, the smartphone and the car are desirable for the opposite of reasons. Your smartphone is the world’s electron superhighway off ramp. It brings the world to you. The car does the opposite. It takes you to the world.
I have this nagging doubt in the back of my mind that keeps resurfacing whenever I think about the future of the car. That is, the importance of taking people to where they want to go seems to be diminishing in the face of all the advancements in bringing the world directly to people.
I’m not saying that travel isn’t going to be important in the future. But I do think that moving electrons versus meat bags is much more practical. Even if you could bring down the cost of physical travel to almost nothing there is the great expense of time. Cars will continue to evolve and improve but the basic concept of transporting your body isn’t changing until we have Star Trek style transporters.
When I think of all the exciting new tech on the horizon it typically involves you not having to travel. Augmented reality, virtual reality, even robots. And that electron superhighway off ramp is about to get way better than a smartphone. In the not too distant future we’ll be able to visit the Louvre from our living room. Scientists will be able to conduct experiments on the planet Mars via robots and virtual reality. Where does it end? The possibilities seem endless and amazing.
The car seems so…last century.
I have this nagging doubt in the back of my mind that keeps resurfacing whenever I think about the future of the car. That is, the importance of taking people to where they want to go seems to be diminishing in the face of all the advancements in bringing the world directly to people.
I’m not saying that travel isn’t going to be important in the future. But I do think that moving electrons versus meat bags is much more practical. Even if you could bring down the cost of physical travel to almost nothing there is the great expense of time. Cars will continue to evolve and improve but the basic concept of transporting your body isn’t changing until we have Star Trek style transporters.
When I think of all the exciting new tech on the horizon it typically involves you not having to travel. Augmented reality, virtual reality, even robots. And that electron superhighway off ramp is about to get way better than a smartphone. In the not too distant future we’ll be able to visit the Louvre from our living room. Scientists will be able to conduct experiments on the planet Mars via robots and virtual reality. Where does it end? The possibilities seem endless and amazing.
The car seems so…last century.
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