Executive Strategic Communications Leader Specialized in Crisis Communications & Public Relations
A frequent observation among stand-up comics these days are the parodies of overly inquisitive Uber and Lyft drivers. A ride home from the doctor means sharing details of the appointment to a stranger you are likely never going to see again. In car-dependent LA, some are willing to take the driverless route just to avoid the chit chat. But is the technology really ready? Self-driving Teslas have been involved in fatal accidents. For many car companies, self-driving is not even the next hurdle to overcome, it is their driver-assisted options (the car brakes on its own, keeps the car in its lane during highway driving). A Ford Mustang apparently failed to see a stopped Honda and rear ended the vehicle killing the Honda's driver. The underlying theme whether it is a driverless car, or there is a driver but they are essentially driving on autopilot, is how fast we are embracing new technology before the bugs are ironed out. For companies, the race to be first with dependable technology means billions in potential sales. We've seen this before in our lifetime, beginning with cars. I can remember a time when cars were sold without seatbelts, barely! More recently, I remember the pushback from the auto OEM's on airbags. Some executives even testified before Congress that deployable airbags were a bad idea. My point, once we are surrounded by steel, glass and plastic and traveling at 70 mph or more, shouldn't we demand better safety data before being so willing to get in the back seat of a car driven by computers and satellites? For companies, is testing even in a tight urban boundary with people in the backseat a good idea? #highwaysafety #selfdriving #tesla #ford #technology
