Technology

Driverless cars: will it be older people who are the keenest to try them out?

For computer-related technologies, it’s usually younger rather than older people who are keenest to try them out first. But for driverless cars (which are set to make much transport planning irrelevant), it may be older people who lead the way in take-up, as the Wall Street Journal has speculated:

“The realities of life just take mobility away from people as they get older,” [driverless cars expert] Mr. Templeton says. “A solution to that problem is going to be highly welcomed…

“I don’t think anyone wants to be a shut-in.

“The boomers all moved to the suburbs, and the suburbs don’t have good transit. When boomers get to be seniors, they will find themselves without as much driving ability and without the ability to use transit to get places.

“Sometimes the only alternative will be to move out of your house. If [a self-driving car] lets you keep your house rather than having to move, I think you’ll see people who aren’t necessarily early adopters go for it.”

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