Today’s drivers have one job: driving the car. But what happens when the car can drive itself?
When the driver becomes a passenger, the layout of the vehicle’s interior could dramatically change, per The Wall Street Journal.
Seats could lie back, allowing passengers to meditate or sleep, and things once considered crucial — a steering wheel, for example — could disappear in favor of entertainment and leisure amenities.
Like what?
Considering that drivers would no longer need a windshield that prioritized seeing the road, windows could instead double as screens, allowing passengers to watch TV, work, play video games, or even communicate with passengers in nearby cars who’ve consented to connecting with others.
Imagine playing “Mario Kart” in your car with someone in another car on a similar route. Very immersive.
Even more immersive? Audi imagines a gaming system in which players wear VR goggles and the car’s movements are integrated into the game.
And if all that sounds like too much, BMW is working on a system that would monitor passengers’ health and pull over or call for help in the event of an emergency.
Navigation would also change
Patrick Brady, VP of Google’s automotive efforts, told WSJ that future cars — equipped with voice control and AR-integrated screens — could tell passengers about interesting landmarks, help them find a good restaurant, or generate virtual street views of their itinerary.
“We’ve been mapping the world for years, so you can feel the vibe of the place before you go, or understand your route in advance,” he said.
They’re considerate, too: Brady said they could even take a longer route to allow you to finish the episode of whatever show you’re watching.
Of course…
… personal self-driving cars aren’t here yet, and some of these luxury amenities will likely be initially reserved for, well, luxury cars.
For now, Waymos and other autonomous taxis are the best way to experience what the future could be like. You can’t lie down and take a nap in them, but you can sing as gregariously as you want without worrying about being distracted, so there's that.
