Interesting Times: Why Are We Still Driving?

Self-driving technology promises to drastically reduce the 40,000 annual road fatalities caused by human error while unlocking millions of hours of human attention currently consumed by driving. Andrew Miller, author of *The End of Driving*, argues that the shift toward robo-taxi fleets will likely redefine urban transportation by reducing the need for private vehicle ownership and parking infrastructure. However, the transition faces significant hurdles, particularly regarding liability, as manufacturers must accept full responsibility for automated systems to gain public trust. Beyond technical and regulatory challenges, the widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles threatens to erode the cultural significance of driving as a rite of passage and a form of embodied knowledge. Ultimately, the future of transportation hinges on whether cities integrate these technologies to improve mobility or allow them to exacerbate congestion and undermine existing public transit systems.