Smart Prison #1 – Self Driving Cars

Why Self Driving Cars?

So imagine you walk to your car and the door automatically opens for you. You simply sit inside, buckle up and give the car voice instructions as you sit back and relax. Maybe you watch a video or the news on the screen in front of you, maybe you have a drink. You can just rest, nothing for you to do but enjoy the ride. Sounds great right? Or is it?

I’m not talking about the technology itself – the GPS antennas, cameras and various sensors and computing systems – in isolation all amazing. And I’m not talking about the future unemployment of millions of drivers. I’m talking about your coming loss of personal autonomy. It is ironic that giving cars autonomy will simultaneously take away your autonomy.

When people think of the downside of self-driving cars often what they mention is the threat of hacking – that some rogue individual will break into the car’s systems and cause mayhem or demand ransoms etc. That may and probably will happen at some point.

Government / Corporate Control

The more troubling downside is that once self-driving cars become wide spread, governments will inevitably insist on having access to and if need be full control over autonomous car control systems. What this means is that when you get into your car and give your destination, you may or may not get there, depending on if some corporation or government surveillance crew deems it a go or a no-go area. Or whether the government deems you as a threat or enemy.



The first generation of self-driving cars will be on the road by about 2022. By 2040, it is estimated that about 95% of new cars sold will be self-driving. At that time, the corporations / state will have full ultimate control of where you go and when you go, or even if you go anywhere.

Why would a corporation or state use this power to control / thwart your freedom to travel? The reasons are potentially many. Behind on your bills? Late with those taxes? Support a ‘radical’ political viewpoint? Been politically incorrect recently? Won’t shut up about free speech?

Or perhaps there is unhappiness with the current government / economic system and public unrest is growing. What better way to prevent protests and large gatherings than to simply not allow people to go to certain areas. No need to physically block access if people simply cannot get there in the first place.

Convenience vs. Freedom

Now there are people for whom these forms of transport will be very good, for example the disabled, the elderly, the sick and injured, the inebriated etc. There is no denying that autonomous vehicles could improve their lives. By why should an able-bodied capable driver need to be driven around like a child?

Ownership and control of one’s own physical body is a fundamental human right and birthright. This includes the right to decide where to be and where to go, so far as is realistic. As a people and as a society we will potentially be giving up that right in the coming decades.

Once all cars and forms of transport are fully automated someone or something else will have ultimate control over you, whether it is another person at a computer or an AI system.
Many people I talk to seem okay with this, they don’t think the technology will be used maliciously. I’m not so sure – just think about the tracking and monitoring of smart phones today and the online censorship of ‘incorrect’ ideas and opinions. If there is an opportunity for a government or corporation to have more power or control they will take it.

The Future?

So what might the future of ‘driving’ look like after self-driving cars become virtually all cars? Ultimate control of the car will be out of your hands. You might even need special permissions to go to certain areas or city to city, state to state. If all cars are made without manual controls, driving licenses will be obsolete.

Possibly, private car ownership will decrease, or even be outlawed. Cars will be owned by corporations or governments, and you will only have access to travel if you are ‘in good standing’ with the system so to speak.

I’m not a Luddite – I think science and technology have brought us many great things to improve our lives. However I think in cases where technology potentially threatens our fundamental rights, for example free speech or movement, then caution should be applied.

And what about the sense of happiness, freedom, power and accomplishment that many people get from the act of driving itself? That will all drop by the wayside, at least for most people. In many countries getting a driving license is a rite of passage, from childhood into adulthood. Will driving licenses’ become an artifact of the past?

Perhaps laws must be made, for example that all smart cars must have a systems kill switch that gives full control to the driver should he want it. And all cars should be able to be driven manually if necessary.

I don’t have a definitive answer. The technology is coming fast and might be implemented before any due considerations to loss of freedom are debated.

Personally, I like driving myself and I like the feeling of control and choice. Old school driving.



Am I being paranoid? What do you guys think? Let me know.