At least one of the quantum leaps comes when not only do we have self driving cars, but when ALL cars are self driving. All vehicles are integrated into a grid with a master control program that not only controls the cars but also controls the stop lights and everything else. There will be no “human” drivers.
pluses
you can read your paper, start your work day on your laptop if you do work that can be done at least in part on a computer, eat a meal, or as
@Peartree suggest, drive at night and sleep in the car instead of hotel.
safety: when ALL the vehicles are controlled by the system, as long as the system doesn’t get hacked (a potential huge vulnerability), it is likely the system will be SAFER than human drivers at least in places where there are no pedestrians or bike riders
efficiency: again, an optimally programmed system will allow maximum traffic flow at maximum speeds. Master system won’t let cars with low tire pressure, bald tires, or other “near breakdown” vehicles on the road. For congested areas, the system will tell you when to leave your home or office to spend the least time stuck in traffic.
fewer total vehicles. Someone made a good point that most vehicles spend the vast majority of each 24 hour day parked either at work or at home. When my Dad had to give up driving, since he did so little of it anyway, basically to the gym and back once a day, once a week back and forth to church, and a few other things, Uber wasn’t much more than the costs of car depreciation, gas, maintenance, and insurance.
enjoy the view. My wife and I just visited Banff and Lake Louise, it was nice just relaxing looking out the bus windows rather than at least one (and often both!) of us concentrating on traffic.
minuses:
flexibility. you will need to tell system in advance when you need to be where, and it will tell you when you need to leave. There may be little ”slack” in the system if your realize “oops, left my book report on the table” or “I need to swing by Hobby Lobby on way to launch to pick up motors.” Autonomous cars (at least if controlled/coordinated by a master system) ironically make for les autonomous passengers. You will need to plan ahead. THIS part people aren’t gonna like.
system hacking. I can see some nefarious governmental and non-governmental agencies goofing up the system for both malicious or sometimes (unfortunately) entertainment value. What’s the saying, “to err is human, to really muck things up you need a computer”?
interfacing with non-grid systems: any system under “master control”is gonna have problems with independent random systems like pedestrians, bicycles, pets, horses, deer, etc.
courtesy (or lack thereof.): a master control system will operate a fleet of vehicles, less likely than private ownership. Hopefully the car that picks you up won’t have just carried someone who threw up over the back seat and didn‘t bother to clean it up.
Big Brother: although we are likely frequently tracked anyway with our phones, facial recognition software and cameras in many places, if operating under a master control system, the government (and likely anybody else) knows where you are and based on your patterns, where you are likely to be Tomorrow or Friday or next month. And if government doesn’t like you or finds you suspicious, they may either lock you out of the system or even worse, highjack your ride to take you to nearest police station.
TANSTAAFL, as Heinlein put it. There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_(short_story)
Written by Asimov in 1953, is scarily close to potential reality in 2022.