The Unnerving Truth About Self-Driving Cars

Welcome to the Dave vs. AI.

Self-Driving Cars Get Better by Crashing

And no, I’m not volunteering.

There’s a particular kind of optimism that powers most early adopters.

The “I camped outside the Apple store” kind of energy.

The “I installed the beta version of iOS and now none of my apps work” kind of commitment.

The “I trust this car to drive itself while I nap” kind of belief.

But here’s my take:

When the stakes are actual physical danger, I’m sitting out the first round.

Self-Driving Tech Has a Learning Curve… And You’re On It

Here’s the uncomfortable truth most people don’t like to say out loud:

Self-driving cars improve by crashing.

There’s no way around it.

They learn by data.

They need to encounter edge cases.

And in a real-world environment, “learning” often means accidents.

It’s the machine equivalent of “trial and error,” but with actual traffic, pedestrians, unpredictable drivers, and lives at stake.

So while I love AI and read about it constantly, there’s a massive difference between feeding prompts into a chatbot… and letting a 4,000-pound computer pilot me down the highway.

I’m Not Anti Tech. I’m Anti Beta Tester With My Life

I believe in the potential of self-driving cars. I really do.

• They could reduce traffic fatalities.

• They might give mobility back to people who’ve lost it.

• They could help optimize entire cities.

But every version 1.0 comes with bugs.

And the bugs in this case? They don’t just cause app crashes. They cause actual crashes.

Not a gamble I’m willing to take.

So yeah… I’ll happily wait for the next generation of Waymo (or whatever company proves real consistency and safety at scale) before I hand over the wheel.

The Bigger Lesson: Timing > Hype

There’s a bigger message here beyond just autonomous vehicles:

Adoption timing matters just as much as the technology itself.

Not every first mover wins.

And not every early adopter gets a badge of honor.

Sometimes the smart move is knowing when not to be first.

To let the dust settle.

To see where things break, and who breaks them.

Then join in when it’s safer, clearer, and more stable.

It’s not fear. It’s pattern recognition.

Here’s How I’m Thinking About It:

• I’ll still nerd out about the tech.

• I’ll still track every update in the space.

• I’ll still believe this future is coming.

But I’ll do all of that… from the passenger seat of a human-driven vehicle.

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