Fiscal writer: Driverless Cars Are Next Cultural Battle

Self-driving cars “are real, they’re going to be spectacular and they’re going to happen a lot sooner than you think,” asserts James Pethokoukis at The Week. One expert even predicts that within two decades “human-driven vehicles will be legislated off the highways” — a prospect that horrifies many concerned with “maintaining personal autonomy and withstanding yet another elite assault on their lifestyle.” So expect this to become “the next great battleground of America’s culture wars.” But “universal driverless car-sharing might be a lot more appealing” to millennials than to their parents or grandparents. Factor in “enhanced mobility for the disabled and elderly, shorter commute times and an end to . . . staring at the brake lights in front of you” and “the potential economic benefits outweigh those of any tax bill.”