Driving is a Huge Waste of Time

DRĪVING IS A HUGE WASTE OF TIME. No worries. Driverless cars will fix that. They'll be far faster and safer than today's cars. They'll free up one hour of productive time each day. And they're arriving in a decade or two. Driverless? What? Autonomous vehicles. Self-driving. Driverless. The tech sector hasn't settled on a name. But everyone agrees: cars are about to change. Driverless cars are vehicles with the artificial intelligence and technology to drive themselves (and you) safely to your destination. During travel, you'll be able to knit, do dishes, watch TV... anything you do at home. Speaking of home, you'll be totally connected to the transportation grid. No more bundling up to scrape ice off your windshield ar at 6am. After driverless cars go mainstream, it won't be long before we see vertical parking lots- Concept art credit: Ersan Seer (www.seer.ws) as depicted in the concept art to the left. The top 5 things you need to know about driverless cars: As of August, 2012, Google has logged 300,000 miles on working prototypes. On public roads. This isn't science fiction. It's happening now. Get excited. ;) Ford thinks driverless cars will be a way of life by 2017. Yes, 5 years from now. I applaud their ambition. My estimates are more conservative. I give driverless cars 20-30 years to become status quo. 4 HOURS FROM DENVER TO SACRAMENTO 1,200 MILES @ 300MPH, WHILE YOU WORK. DRIVERLESS CARS WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN. They'll be safe. You'll be walking around inside without a seatbelt. The cars will need powerful computers-and likely Artificial Intelligence-to ensure your safety. Auto accidents will be rarer than lightning strikes, and cars will be as safe for travel as tap water is for drinking. They'll be fast. Human error forces speed limits down. But driverless cars will be free to go as fast as technology and physics let them. 300mph+ is very attainable. One promising technology which may allow us to reach incredible speeds (in theory, 4000-5000mph) is the combination of maglev with vacuum tubes. Google 'vactrain'. During travel, you'll work or do the same things you do at home. Since you'll effectively be able to live in your car, long trips will be possible in day-to-day life. You'll be able to travel 1,200 miles to meet a client for lunch and be back home in time for dinner. I'm futurist Ersan Seer. I really appreciate you entertaining my visions. I've put a lot of work into an intriguing series of articles about driverless cars-concept art included! If you liked this infographic, take a look at the full series: http://seer.ws/no-hands HTTP:// SEER ws VISIONS OF THE FUTURE, BY FUTURIST CONCEPT ARTIST ERSAN SEER