Nate Tollenaar
In character with their long history of announcing things that seem like dreams and likely won’t be accomplished as quickly as they say they will, Tesla has announced an opportunity to use your car as a pseudo-taxi service... when you aren’t using it. Much like Uber and Lyft that offer the ability to pay others to drive you places, this does something similar, enables you to get paid for moving someone from point A to point B. However, used in conjunction with their self-driving technology, you may not need to be in the car. Unlike Uber and Lyft, which require you to physically be driving a car, you could be making money while sitting at a desk at work or reading a book at home. Not only would this car provide a significantly better option for saving the environment (provided we actually start producing electricity in a greener manner) but it would literally pay for itself after a while. This could considerably shift the market and have a significant impact on the economy. With such a useful concept with a significant return to the buyer, this service could potentially drive the economy away from buying gasoline cars and provide significant competition for Uber and Lyft, especially since it removes one of the most complained about parts of both of those services, the driver. Tesla, being an american-based company, could potentially add millions or billions of dollars to the US economy should they complete this before other companies can create similar self-driving cars. Especially given the prevalence of foreign car companies like Honda, Toyota and Mercedez-Benz in the US economy, these cars could potentially corner the market for a short time. Not only would this change the imports of the US slightly, it would significantly increase exports as these cars would undoubtedly be sold all around the world. Furthermore, this service could prove to increase employment within the US as repairs unique to electric cars become more prevalent, the increased profits enable Tesla to fund more research and development, both on the mechanical and programming aspects of their vehicles and of course, we’ll need factory workers to at least make sure the cars are manufactured properly. All in all, this development could put the US at the top of the automobile food chain and provide a significant increase to the economy of the US.
Works Cited
Tesla, Inc, www.tesla.com/presskit#autopilot.McFarland, Matt. “Elon Musk Says Tesla Will Have Robo-Taxis Operating next Year.” CNN, Cable News Network, 22 Apr. 2019, www.cnn.com/2019/04/22/tech/tesla-robotaxis/index.html.
Tesla is a very sought out brand, that most cannot afford. However now they are starting to come up with a new system where you can use other peoples teslas as taxis, competing with uber and lyft. I think this is a great idea because like mentioned in the blog, it will save more money by not spending it on gas and it can help limit pollution because it is an energy ran car. Along with this, it is very possible that if this works and becomes a normal thing, many other countries will be interested and like said before, it will help increase our exports, which isn’t very strong with the products we have now. Overall I think this is a great idea to save money on gas and will help increase the exports of our country.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that this could be a great move for the economy, especially with the fact that it would help to increase the competition between Tesla and other car companies, so every other car company would be racing to develop technology to counteract Tesla's and until they develop their own technology, Tesla will be selling more and more cars that will help to create jobs for people to repair these new types of cars and the people to build these new cars.
ReplyDeleteAlthough this idea seems to pose many benefits, what happens if the customer makes a mess in their car or tries to steal it? I know Tesla has good security, I feel like it could be hot wired easily after sitting in it and studying the anatomy of it after a while. Also, will any Tesla owner even trust someone else in their car unattended? Personally, if I saved up lot of money to pay for a Tesla, I wouldn't want anyone else touching it besides me unless I am supervising the person. I wouldn't want them to scratch it, make it filthy, vomit in it, or even steal it.
ReplyDeleteThis post is very interesting especially with the fact of Tesla, creating an app the exact same as Uber and Lyft. By doing this they are advertising their own car while also proving to be a fantastic marketing company. Within the post, I feel there could be more statistics comparing how this will be more valuable to us and the final cost of a single ride. Uber and Lyft are not very expensive for a short trip and who knows how expansive Tesla's ride will be.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, it is kind of scary to me to think that with this advanced technology cars will be driving around with out drivers. Personally, if I were one to utilized this service, I would feel very uncomfortable sitting in a car that is driving on its own. I would most likely be inclined to try and drive the car myself. This will effect the U.S. economy greatly but impacting imports and exports of automobiles. However, I agree that eventually this will bring us to the top of the "automobile food chain", since this car will be on high demand in years to come and Tesla's are generally produced in the U.S.
ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting that Tesla is able to offer this service because I had thought that though the cars were self driving, that someone would still have to sit in the driver's seat. This also has many liabilities for the car owner if anything goes wrong while the car is driving. I agree that this is the next big step for self driving cars, and I could easily see this app propel forward the movement to create more self driving cars. This would greatly change the economy because large vehicle companies that had been thriving would be forced to transform into a new type of company. This would also change the oil company dramatically because not as many people would be using gas for their cars.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I think the idea will improve the environment and have other positive impacts, I think this still isn't completely a good idea. If there is no one in the car while it is taking people places, would someone be able to steal it easier? Also Tesla’s are really expensive and I don’t think they will ever override companies such as Honda or Toyota, because they are more affordable. If Tesla lowers their prices however, I feel as though this would be a good idea. I think there is still a lot to be discovered about this idea before it becomes as big as they are making it sound.
DeleteWith the integration of self driving cars by Tesla, not only would the company be able to cut down on the amount of gas being used, which contributes to pollution. If the Tesla company chooses to utilize electricity like they have done previously in their other electric car models. Which would not only completely change the transportation industry of taxis, uber, and lyft all together. Not only would the investment in auto driving cars be beneficial it would allow companies to gain profit from their services and not have to pay employers for said service. Overtime the auto driving car will start to generate income that is past the initial startup cost in no time. Not only would the Tesla company spark interest like you have stated in other foreign car manufactures like Honda, Toyota, and so on. It could completely change the entire market of transportation as a whole, while simultaneously improving the ecosystem at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI’m beyond shocked that the self driving cars acting as an Uber would even be legal. Not only is it unsafe to have self driving cars with a person behind the wheel just in case, but now that there is no significant person in the front seat, sets a huge safety risk. This could endanger many passenger in terms of a malfunction or someone hitting the car. Your basically holding the passengers in the car responsible for whatever happens on the road. Not to mention that in terms of work, it’s unethical. People could get paid for being an Uber without actually being in the car. In terms or work and labor, no one is actually doing the work, it’s a pure example of laziness and cheat system to get money. I can’t believe that people have become so greedy, that they have to cheat their way to get money, by not actually taking time and doing the work. If you ask me Tesla is opening up a whole can of worms, that is a cheat system and compromises passengers safety.
ReplyDeleteWith technology advancing comes new ideas and innovations. I think the tesla being a self driven uber has its benefits and downfalls. Although people can make money sitting and doing their daily tasks, the car could have malfunctions while driving the passenger and cause possible danger. Also the passenger could maybe steal the car since there is no driver in it. New technology leads to easier ways for citizens to function, which this may lead to lazier americans. Having the tesla uber people around is a great new idea, but it also has its downfalls.
ReplyDeleteWithout a doubt, gasoline emissions from vehicles is one of the leading causes of pollution and climate change within our world. Hopefully in the near future we will be seeing a shift from gasoline powered cars to electric cars like the ones Tesla produces. So, not only would this new ride sharing app be eco friendly, but it would also allow for a side hustle, if you will, that basically takes care of itself. This new program could also prove superior to Uber and Lyft because the drivers won’t necessarily have to be in the car, which has proven problematic in terms of various assaults surrounding Uber drivers. Because the “drivers” won’t be physically in the car with the passengers, this would increase the safety of those traveling alone or at night. However, not having a driver in the car could prove problematic if there is not an adequate surveillance system to monitor the passengers and ensure that no vandalism or stealing is happening. In all, I believe that Tesla’s new ride sharing app would be a good thing not only for the public, but also for our environment. It would be a safer alternative to cabs or other ride sharing programs, so that would likely foster a big market and consumer interest. This would promote spending and overall growth of our economy.
ReplyDeleteI think it is crazy to see the evolution of the "Taxi" service in so little time. For years it has been untouched and stale, but now the innovation has completely changed the industry. Not only has it changed the taxi industry, but Tesla is also changing the car industry by making soul electric cars. This is a very cool thing to see and will be interesting to see what other innovations the Tesla company will bring tot the table in future years.
ReplyDeleteThe advancements in technology are definitely going to take this economy in the right direction. With the self driving car, there could be many complications; for example, the passengers could steal the car or if the technology malfunctions death rates could increase. Although this is a good idea, there would need to be many years of test runs before this is put on the market.
ReplyDeleteI think this would be a huge economic boost because the incentive of car buyers to earn money when they're not using cars will encourage them to buy more cars. I could see people owning 5 or more self driving cars and renting some of them out constantly to form a steady and hands free source of income. Cars would become a larger capital good than they currently are and in fact, wealthy American car owners could have their cars operate in foreign countries to collect income. It's a great idea to combat the current trend of leasing cars and shift our economic system to less of income for labor but more of income for renting capital.
ReplyDeleteI think this could be a massive economic boom because it will allow for consumers (of the car) to earn some of there investment back. This article also helps show how improved or advancement in technology can help to cause the economy to become even stronger and advance in ways that it has never done before.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting concept that Tesla is coming up with, truly showing how innovative our economy is. If this idea starts up, not only will this increase the demand for Teslas, but decrease the demand for Lyft and Uber drivers. If potential car owners are beginning to see that Tesla owners not only get to drive a cool automobile, but make back their money they spent by using their car as a driving service, more and more people will want to get a Tesla. Therefore, if more people are buying Teslas, and then increasing the amount of cars for Tesla's driving service, the less people will demand for Uber and Lyft drivers, and decrease the supply of Lyft and Uber drivers as they will switch to Tesla if that is what is most popular. Overall, it is a very unique concept that Tesla has come up with that is sure to come to life very soon and cause quite a shift in our current transportation services.
ReplyDeleteTesla has a great idea here, however, I don't know how successful they will end up being due to their stiff competition as you mentioned above. Uber and Lyft are already so defined in the market for ride sharing that I don't believe Tesla would do as good as they think. Especially since other 'green' cars are already available for purchase by other ride share drivers, Tesla doesn't have as much of an advantage as they are portraying. So all in all, super cool idea but seems a little unrealistic at this point in time.
ReplyDeleteImagining a car driving and there being no driver is crazy and scary. It is just showing how fast the technology is moving forward. It seems so crazy to have someone in a car with no driver, for example if someone were to get into an accident whose fault would it be. When reading more from this article, it was clear that this might just make things better for the United States because of how well it might make the economy. If this were to happen where these cars would be driving everyone around, wouldn't everyone want to have them, and then it seems like that is defeat the purpose, but who knows. I guess we have to try.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like Tesla (and all other companies of Elon Musk) are coming up with innovative ideas left and right. I definitely like this latest idea, but one of the biggest things to consider is the self driving technology. Although the technology has advanced considerably since it came out, there still needs to be years of testing and redeveloping before the technology is considered completely safe. If Tesla decides to launch this idea prematurely, they might face many lawsuits and this would potentially decrease their investment spending (because they're spending this money of lawsuits rather than investments) and overall rGDP of the US. This being said, I still think that Tesla is on the fastest route to dominating this industry because they are the leading company for self-driving cars. If they get a patent on this idea, they might be unstoppable!
ReplyDeleteI agree with some of the other comments that the ethics of a self-driving car are questionable. In an accident situation, a self-driving car must decide who to protects, the passenger or the other car or person involved. If the car protects the passenger at all costs the riding option appeals more to customers, but the car would also be more dangerous on the road. Ultimately, accident situations require a variety of circumstantial factors and personal choices to be taken into account, and I'm not sure the A.I. of self-driving cars could have this capacity in the near future. Ultimately, I think the reservations about self-driving cars from an ethical standpoint would limit the success of a ride service program like the one proposed by Tesla.
ReplyDeleteYes, this service of self-driving cars could be very profitable to Tesla and would change the car market, as the demand for other cars would decrease. This could increase the U.S.'s GDP as more cars are being exported and less are being imported. The appeal of minimizing opportunity cost and making money off a car when it is not in use would make some people seriously consider buying a Tesla. However, as other comments have mentioned, the choice the car is forced to make when considering who to save in the situation of an accident is very controversial. This could decrease the demand for the product. I think Tesla should take some time to allow self-driving cars to become more of a staple of society, so people have more trust in them. Once they are more common, then should the company introduce this new Uber-like service.
ReplyDeleteThis could possibly be a great idea for the economy but this could also make things a lot harder on the regulations side. Sure this would be great to have self driving taxi's that Tesla is developing but this may cause havoc in the streets especially in places like Chicago or New York where drivers are considered crazy and unpredictable. A computer may not be able to recognize these simple problems. New street laws would need to be made as well as insurance would change. Finally who would you blame if an accident were to happen? The owner of the car who is simply watching, doing nothing or the company who wasn't prepared for something like this.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a very unique and competitive concept in the world of Uber and Lyft. Tesla is not only creating more competition in the market, but also doing it in a way to produce a somewhat environmentally friendly approach in doing so. With more electric cars on the ride and people continuously using services such as Uber and Lyft, this is coming in as a total game changer. But, I also feel that there is a lot of danger in this practice as well. A self driving car still holds a lot of controversy and might not be 100% safe yet. That in turn could cause this project to become much more expensive and cause it to be shut down. Many consumers enjoy the idea of having a driver take them somewhere, not just hopping into a self car that has a mind of its own and much more power over the vehicle inhabitants.
ReplyDeleteWhile Teslas have unique security features, the general feeling in these comments seems to be that most would be unwilling to let strangers ride in their car unattended, which I also echo. Again, as everyone's said, Teslas aren't cheap, and while those who buy them may be willing to be on the cutting edge even if it comes with a risk, the ultimate amount of participation in this would be interesting to see, given that participation of owners is literally the only way the system can work. While it may seem kind of out there I personally would never use the service, Elon Musk has a weird way of making ridiculous ideas work and I wouldn't put it past him for this to be one of those instances.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you, to a point. There could be a threat to Uber and Lyft, but it will take years for this to happen. In order for Tesla to take over the market and shift the economy to the drastic effect that you claim will occur, it going to possible take place in the next 20 years. Teslas are still few and far compared to all of the the the others cars that are driving around the road. You would have to get the consumers on board with the idea of having a self driving car drive them around. I do not know about you, but the idea of a computer driving around scares me. If there is not a demand for selfing driving taxis, it will be a hard service to sell. As fast as technology is growing it will take another couple of years for the idea of self driving cars to become the new normal. That being said I do think that you offer a different perspective when it comes Uber and Lyft competition that should not be ignored.
ReplyDeleteSelf driving cars are a new technology that may seem to be the "answer" until something severely goes wrong. Down the line however, this could most definitely be a profitable source for Tesla to expand their market and to increase profits. But beyond profits, keeping passengers safe is the most important part of this concept and most difficult to figure out. Of course people could be the cause to an accident by human error on the road, however the driver takes responsibility and is someone there to assess the situation and figure out a solution. With a self driving car, the car can't make decisions such as so. Therefore it would be up to the passenger, and that shouldn't be their job as no passenger paying to ride wants to deal with that, especially if they are a minor and don't know what to do and may not have access to a phone. The whole concept is so out there and not normalized that I think the general public would even be scared of the concept, leading the company to loose profits on it anyway. Further down the line, it is definitely a possibility, but I know for me it would take me years to agree to getting into such car, until I am certain it is safer than Lyft or Uber.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a huge advancement there will always be problems to every advancement, I think its just crazy to think taxi's are now being overruled by this whole new advancement in ubers and lyfts but I think it is a way in the long run to keep from environmental issues, as it will eliminate more cars off the road and benefit our health.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with this ride sharing app is the market's overall lack of experience with self-driving cars; the nervousness to adopt a new technology like this one may mean Tesla's app will not initially provide as much competition to Lyft and Uber as predicted. Additionally, the supply of Tesla's within the app may not be high, simply because of the owner's lack of trust in potential clients. All of this to say it will be a while before an app like this one could truly change the ride-sharing market. However, I do agree that eventually electric cars like Teslas will become the norm. This is because we are currently living with the negative externality of car pollution, and adopting electric cars on a wide scale may push us towards the socially optimal output. For this to happen though, either subsidies for electric cars or per-unit taxes on gasoline cars must be put in place, or the price of electric cars must become more comparable to the price of cars that utilize gasoline.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see how self driving cars affect the jobs of taxi drivers and ride share drivers. However I think it is very important to make the shift to using renewable energy and start slowing down our use of fossil fuels. However many people are still scared of self driving cars and consumer preferences is a shifter of the demand curve so I don't think this will become widely accepted until people start to trust this technology more. Especially in cities more and more people are finding it unnecessary to own a car and maybe this will be the start of a large shift towards more people relying on ride-sharing on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Tesla ride and share would be a huge benefit to the economy because of the imports and exports that are happening through different countries. Because not all cars are made in USA, usually different countries import cars to United States, which actually makes a little bit cheap than the cars that are made in USA. Importing and exporting is also one of the category that is included in the GDP as we increase exports from different countries it would also benefit us in increasing our GDP. Also Tesla releasing ride and share app would also be beneficial because you are giving ride to unknown people and taking them to same destination as you are but not for free. Whereas using Uber and Lyft would cost you more because they charge from the driver is coming from and where they are droping you off.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to think about how much an app can have an effect on the economy. Self driving cars scare people in the realm of technology. Some believe it is developing too quickly, and will ultimately result in the end of the world. The reality is, technology like this provides much more opportunity than we see on the surface. For one, people need to program this advanced technology, providing a career for an engineer. This ride sharing app is interesting as competition against Uber and Lyft. I think two, already well-established companies are going to flourish against this new one that is still trying to be understood. So, while I could see it as fierce competition in the future, I don't think Lyft and Uber have to worry quite yet - especially since they just released ipos.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do agree that this could potentially be a advantageous addition to the US economy, the arrival and execution of this idea could take years. For starters, self-driving cars, though they have been in the works for a few years, will need to be approved to be set out on the road. As well as that official approval, public approval will also take quite a bit of time. Though the drivers are the most complained part about Uber and Lyft, a physical human driver gives a sense of security. Along with the wait for approval, there is also the issue of affordability for not only buying the cars, but for the service itself. There is no doubt that the car will cost quite a bit when it is first released, but what will be the price for using the ride share service? This new formed service does sound exciting, but it may take a really long time for it to be an actuality.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually an amazing idea that Tesla has to help further increase the value that their self driving cars have. It's actually a little scary to think that soon there will be cars driving around without a driver, but just autonomously. Also, although there is a great market for this idea, I see a possible problem, which would be the fact that the passengers will easily be able to mess with your car and steal since you are not in the car. Overall, this idea is great and could prove to be a form of transport for the future.
ReplyDeleteThe overall idea of getting paid for ultimately not doing anything is pretty awesome, especially when it can also boost the economy. There is some common sense issues that go along with this such as what if the passenger hacks into the car and goes off course, then steals it or trashes the car. Since no one is in the car "supervising" the ride, there are many more risks that could eventually cost you more than you would be making. The overall idea seems interesting and would definitely be able to boost our economy however there need to be lots of testing to go along with it.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually a good idea, using self-driving cars to create a service similar to Uber. The idea of going into a car without a driver may seem kind of uncomfortable, but self-driving cars are safer than they seem like. There have been incidents where self-driving cars get into accidents, but that's mostly because of the drivers around the car, or maybe even the driver in the car messing around. It's almost never a fault of the programming that causes crashes, not any public crashes anyway, I'm sure there have been hundreds of tests in private locations to test if the code works correctly. If this comes out, and it's popular, this could definitely cause economic growth. The problem is that it's not going to be really popular because the public is nervous about using new technologies like self-driving cars, because they want to stick with what they know.
ReplyDeleteThis article brings up some very good points. This would help the economy more so than Uber and Lyft do now. These two services have overpowered the taxi industry by being cheaper. This Tesla project can be even cheaper because it generates pure profit. There is no gas to be paid for along with no driver that needs to have a wage. The startup cost is a lot because teslas are super pricey, but in the very long run this will help the economy.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this innovation could show a general increase in the US economy. Since this is an American based company, the revenue would count toward the overall GDP of our country, taking in the current year’s sales after the introduction of the app. Also, like you mentioned since this is an electric car, it would eliminate any harmful emissions into our atmosphere, and could help raise awareness about Tesla’s cars as a whole. This would boost their sales, and help their company along with helping the environment as well. However, I do feel as though there are just some practical errors with this idea. There are some things in this world that are just better done by humans, and not technology: If there are reckless or careless drivers on the road, the self-driving car will not fully recognize these dangers. This could put the potential passenger at risk, and could just overall be a scary experience.
ReplyDeleteThis is honestly a killer idea from Tesla. The great idea here is that car owners, specifically owners of self-driving Teslas, would be able to create passive income for themselves, much like investing in the stock market, growth in this industry can allow people to take a financial hit initially, and then literally sit back and watch themselves make some money back. While there are probably some concerns for safety, I think this is a cool move from Tesla.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea from Tesla. This is a great idea for the self driving Tesla's, they would be able to create passive income for themselves. They could grow this industry and would be able to allow people to take a financial hit initially and then sit back and watch themselves make some money back. While there are probably some concerns for safety, I think this is a great idea for Tesla to keep moving forward in the world and keep making new ideas.
ReplyDeleteI think that using self driving Teslas as an Uber service is a very interesting idea. I agree that this service and innovation could contain many benefits for the economy and environment. As this service becomes more popular, the company would have to employ more workers which would increase the employment rate. Also, exports in the US would probably increase due to the amount of demand in other countries. People could save money on gas and help reduce the amount of pollution. Overall I think that this is a good idea, however many people may question the safety of this innovation.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting topic to read about because most of us would have never imagined self driving cars right now. You do bring up some good points, being that it could help the economy, it could be a more green alternative, and benefit people who have their self driving cars in the business. Overall, I do think that it could really boost the economy as Tesla is an american company and their bold and expensive ideas may help to increase GDP, and as you said, add millions or billions of dollars to our economy.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting addition to the market of driving services. The introduction of a self-driving "taxi" service, similar to Uber or Lyft, could change the whole industry. Not only will it be more healthy for the environment, but it will also promote new forms of competition into the market, allowing for more options and also more innovation in the field. Tesla's new self driving is still in its early stages of development, but I'm confident that the addition of this self-driving Tesla app will allow and encourage other companies to create similar products, in addition to creating economic growth.
ReplyDeleteAlthough this tariff seems to be working out well, it is interesting that they would allow the loophole for traveling customers, because the money they would spend would go to the customers expenses rather than the government and leave the Swedish Economy. I wonder how they are addressing this to fix that problem.
ReplyDeleteTesla is innovating more and more each year, and contributing into making our future great. It's interesting to see how fast they are growing and what new and brilliant ideas they are coming up with each year. If this app does take off and if people use it in the future, it would be interesting to see all of the changes that come along with it. The future would be a lot different if this became the norm and would love to see all the changes that come with the economy, and how much money you could make with being able to use your car as an Uber without you inside. Its crazy how much one thing can have such big impact on the economy in the U.S.
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