Our self-driving future

This “Under the Influence” podcast is a couple of years old but it still contains some mind-bending ideas about the ways in which self-driving cars could have a ripple effect on numerous business sectors.  It’s a topic that forward-thinking marketers surely are already pondering.

Obviously, autonomous vehicles will impact auto manufacturers, but in some ways, that’s the least of it.

• They could provide a boon for manufacturers of fitness equipment because you’ll have an opportunity to squeeze in a workout on the way to work in the morning.

• They may impact local municipal services. Self-driving cars mean fewer (if any) tickets for speeding or traffic violations, which means less revenue in local government coffers.

• They will transform the insurance industry. If there is an accident, who is at fault…the driver or the manufacturer? Will auto insurance even exist in the long-range future?

• They may transform the alcohol industry. Will there be a reason to not drink and drive when you are not actually driving?

• Short-haul airline flights may no longer be worth it. And the hotel/motel industry may take a hit because you can drive/ride all night while sleeping soundly in your car.

• They may help the fast-food industry because driverless vehicles could prepare the food in the car while it is on its way to your home.

• And on and on…

Moreover, according to Wired magazine, you may not park these cars at your home or office.  They may wait for your next command at a central “hive” in a convenient part of the city.  That would mean more bike lanes, parking lots and garages converted to green space, and a big boon for the construction industry as people remodel their existing home garages into room spaces. So, we may end up with more space in which to live, and much greener and quieter cities.