If you live in one of the states darkened in blue you might have already seen a Google-driven car as you gnashed your teeth over traffic jams. They’ve logged over 700,000 miles on public roads as of April, 2014.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_driverless_car
Hi readers. Thanks for coming by for a read.
Probably I was the last person on the planet to find out this is happening. And I should have guessed it, anyway. There’s a particular place in New Mexico where a police car sits around with a dummy in uniform at the wheel to discourage speeding. The inevitable next step was to replace the drivers of cars going past, standing their cars on their noses when they saw the police cruiser.
Admittedly the Google Driverless car doesn’t have the snazzy appearance, the pizzazz of the average cracker boxes and 1948 Dodge-looking cars running around the roads in 2014. But I think if I had a car and a few bucks to spare I’d paint it white, install a fake antenna array on the top, darken the windows, and go around ramming into things just to blow the foam off the top of a long life. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_driverless_car
Things do have a way of making the full circle. Half the drivers today are being directed by the voices of their friendly GPS devices while they text their wives, mistresses, husbands, boyfriends, parents, kids, and people they’re trying to buy something from on Craigslist. A nice Google package would relieve them of the burden of having to be distracted by red lights and road rage. In fact, the model that’s not equipped with steering wheel or pedals would go a step further to allow them to spend every waking minute texting and talking on the cell.
Put a mannequin in the driver seat and give it a cell phone to talk on and this thing will be lobbying for the right to vote and get mechanical insurance. With an inflatable girl-friend sitting in the passenger seat we wouldn’t need Americans anymore.
Old Jules
So Far From Heaven 
I prefer to manually drive my vehicle, of course I am old fashioned.
Hi DizzyDick: I used to prefer it, but now I’m less certain. Imagine getting into a taxicab, say, and telling a store-dummy in the driver seat where you want to go. And him answering you in clear, understandable English. Good company, competent driving, reasonable cost maybe? Good conversation most likely, too. Gracias, J
In case of an outburst of road rage, each of those cars should come equipped with a set of those “Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots” we used to have as kids. Keep them in the trunk, or on the floor behind the passenger seat by the tire iron, or you could modify your gun rack if you’re really that much of a blowhard and renegade that you choose to open carry them.
Prodigal Orphan: Thanks for coming by. I don’t recall those robots but I’m up for new experiences anyway. Gracias, J
I can see you ramming stuff with all that fake gear, just to give the idea a bad name.
Hi Ed: Actually I’m fairly indifferent about the idea having a bad name or good name. Likely it will rear up and speak for itself with a few hundred of them on the road driving millions of miles. Likely no better, now worse than human drivers when they’re sober, rested, and not talking on the phone. Good seeing you. J
Brilliant observation. Thought of writing something on this subject myself but I’m glad I didn’t now. In fact, I might buy one of those computers that types its own blog posts so I have more time to drive my car.
Cheers, Alen McF
McEff: If you get one I’ll tip my hat to you. A person ought to have a computer to type its own blog posts. And drives itself around without anyone inside. Similarly, a White House and Congress buildings. Gracias, J
Certainly would free the hands for cell phone and texting! Not sure I would trust it to drive me around though.
Nor I. Though it has the advantage of not being organic. J