Just a thoughts running through my mind about the integration of autonomous cars and how it could change our driving in the near future. It's coming, fast. Some say by 2020. Taxis, personal vehicles, trucks, etc. Not to mention how people own cars might change as well. I was reading an article about how in the near future the cars you need to get around in might not be owned by you. Just simply borrowed from a pool of autonomous vehicles suited for your needs and used and sent back. The way vehicle are changing could perhaps affect cars you own today and future ones. As the technology increases its programmed and developed into these new vehicles. I'd guess maybe to the point where they talk to each other. Or installation of equipment on our roads and more satellites designed to control all this technology. I believe they wish to reduce the number of cars on the roads and not have any human interaction with the driving experience. How will it affect the RVing industry and its future. I'm pondering, do they want it to survive along with the autonomous industry? If so, how fast will the autonomous systems be integrated into Motorhomes? Will if be affordable at first? Will you have a option to have it or not? If not required will they force the industry to do so by taxing your MH to the point you can't afford it anymore?

No there will always be cars driven by humans. There are other articles out there stating that something like 77% of vehicle owners would never consider owning an Autonomous vehicle. I wouldn't get your hopes up too much just yet....

Well, I think 2020 is a pretty ambitious date. I think it's going to take a lot longer than that for the lawmakers, vehicle makers and insurance companies to sort this all out. :)I've been thinking about this and I'm wondering if the "autonomous vehicle", as we see it now, will actually become common place. Wouldn't it be better if a humanoid robot, who can do many varied tasks around the home could also drive? If so, then they could be taught to drive any vehicle. You wouldn't need all of the extra doodads that make a vehicle autonomous. One robot - does many things. THAT I could see in our future. I think by the time they get all of the legal aspects of autonomous vehicles worked out, the humanoid robots will be ready for prime time. It would be neat being able to party in the living quarters of our motorhome while travelling TO our destination. :)But truthfully, I'm not expecting to see this any time soon in widespread use. Of course, I still haven't bought into the "smart phone" mania and just use a cheap ol' limited Tracfone to make calls and text. :)~Rick

No hope on my end. As I enjoy this freedom too. But, don't kid yourself. At some point IMHO you might not have such a easy choice. Taxes have a way of changing the way we do things. It costs 1300 a year just to insure my low end DP here in MI now. Someone owning a more higher cost MH is paying much more. Perhaps you will be able to decide. But you may not be able to afford it.

Here are some comments from Elon Musk; he predicts the change to occur over the next 20 years, so by 2037 instead of 2020.MuskI also recall another comment he made basically saying that taxi drivers/Uber drivers will be in obsolete jobs in 20 years.So if this is true one would think that there will be some self-driving RV technology out there.

Autonomous vehicles and RVing in the future | Good Sam Community

28 Replies

et2
Explorer
Mar 20, 2017
Stormy Eyes wrote:
I suspect if and when self driving cars (especially shared car) become available and affordable and easy, the number of people investing in new tow bars and toads will begin to decrease. Those who are already set up for towing and who use the toad a lot likely will keep towing. But those buying a motorhome might decide to get an autonomous car once they arrive at their destination rather than buying one to tow. Or they might have the autonomous car bring a lucky grandchild to the campsite, keep the car and the child at the campsite during the visit,then send the kiddo back to the parents in that car.
I suspect self driving Motorhomes will arrive only after cars have been available for some time. Might be nice though. As one on a cruise ship one wakes up in a different port, one could awaken in a different state. People with limited vacation time might love sleeping while the rv drives itself.

Self driving RV's. Although I love driving. That thought does have a lot of interesting possibilities. But they'll probably have a auto lock to the fridge if motion :(
et2
Explorer
Mar 20, 2017
But, we all agree it's coming. The actual timeframe is the unknown. Personally I feel it'll be much quicker than we think. As the technology matures more and more of it will be taking control of your cars, you won't have a choice.

I can imagine those who wish to hang on to their driver in control cars could become a liability, as in a problem for this technology to work "properly". More like you can't trust drivers to be dependable and consistent in driving their cars. Road rage, speeders, loafers, drunk drivers, etc, all will bring the technology to a halt if we all aren't part of the same system.

Many things are in the cars now. Auto parking, lane departure warning,auto braking, adaptive cruise control, etc.

But how will it affect the RV industry?
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Mar 20, 2017
Autonomous vehicles are coming. However, they really are not coming that fast. There will likely be "some" on the road by 2020 but they will not be the predominate vehicle for many, many years after that and it's unlikely that it will have any impact on the RV industry (other than the Mobile Eye type driver assist hardware) during our life span. What happens to our kids after we are gone I could care less about!
Mile_High
Explorer
Mar 20, 2017
Ah, we already have autonomous beer trucks in CO. Maybe I can just have the beer truck follow me to the campsite :)

beer truck
Stormy_Eyes
Explorer
Mar 20, 2017
I suspect if and when self driving cars (especially shared car) become available and affordable and easy, the number of people investing in new tow bars and toads will begin to decrease. Those who are already set up for towing and who use the toad a lot likely will keep towing. But those buying a motorhome might decide to get an autonomous car once they arrive at their destination rather than buying one to tow. Or they might have the autonomous car bring a lucky grandchild to the campsite, keep the car and the child at the campsite during the visit,then send the kiddo back to the parents in that car.
I suspect self driving Motorhomes will arrive only after cars have been available for some time. Might be nice though. As one on a cruise ship one wakes up in a different port, one could awaken in a different state. People with limited vacation time might love sleeping while the rv drives itself.
Ductape
Explorer
Mar 20, 2017
There was a time you had to hand crank the car. And control the spark advance, fuel mixture, and row the gears.

It's almost here.

Breathe and relax. "They" are not coming to take away your driver operated cars. When automation becomes an available option some will pay extra to get it, eventually it will be the new norm, and then just expected. Just like air conditioning.
Space_nerd
Explorer
Mar 20, 2017
About 100 years ago a lot of pretty smart people believed that those horseless carriage contraptions will never replace a good horse. Most cars last 20 years today. Automated vehicles will be on roads beginning about 2020. But it will take 20 years for todays vehicles to be replaced. But eventually as more AV's show up on the road the insurance industry will develop safety data. If that data shows that AV's are safer than humans it will become difficult to afford insurance to drive yourself. Once we reach that tipping point humans driving a vehicle will be just like horses today. It will mostly be done for leisure.
btilfan
Explorer
Mar 20, 2017
Yeah, and I was supposed have a flying car by now.
Mile_High
Explorer
Mar 20, 2017
rk911 wrote:
Effy wrote:
...On that note, I have been seeing more vehicles that park your car for you. Frankly, if you can't parallel park, you shouldn't be driving. It's less about the parking and more about knowing how to control your vehicle and maneuver it. This sort of technology is an enabler to people who shouldn't be driving in the first place. I know that sounds like a crass comment but it's true. When I took my driver's test decades ago, this was part of the test.

along those same lines...the first thought I had when I started seeing the commercials for the self-parking, self-braking and other autonomous/semi-autonomous features on current production models was...I don't have to pay attention...the car will save me. at least that's the message I took from the commercials and I'm likely not alone and that concerns me.
Ya, there is some concern for that - similar to what has been revealed on some lessons learned on aircraft incidents years back, the pilots don't retain the training on how to actually fly in an emergency.
rk911
Explorer
Mar 20, 2017
Effy wrote:
...On that note, I have been seeing more vehicles that park your car for you. Frankly, if you can't parallel park, you shouldn't be driving. It's less about the parking and more about knowing how to control your vehicle and maneuver it. This sort of technology is an enabler to people who shouldn't be driving in the first place. I know that sounds like a crass comment but it's true. When I took my driver's test decades ago, this was part of the test.

along those same lines...the first thought I had when I started seeing the commercials for the self-parking, self-braking and other autonomous/semi-autonomous features on current production models was...I don't have to pay attention...the car will save me. at least that's the message I took from the commercials and I'm likely not alone and that concerns me.