Ithaca DWI Lawyer: What's the Future of Driving and DWI?

Cute, Ecological, and Not Very Exciting!

You know I love cars. Cars and I have a long time long affair. They represent more than transportation or utility to me, they represent all that embodies what is great in America. They are symbolic of freedom, adventure, independence, and pursuit of the dream. One of the things that drew me to DWI defense is that involves cars. But the future of cars is uncertain. I recently read in Autoweek that I quote, "the future of driving is NOT driving." Self driving cars are coming. Does that speak the end of DWI charges? Does that mean that the crime of DWI will be a thing of the past?

Are Directing Self Driving Cars Still Driving?

I guess in some sense of the word, driving or directing something to drive you are the same thing? or are they? You input the destination and the car does the rest. Are we still going to be held responsible for safe motoring? You are NOT technically driving and YOU could you in fact be high or drunk or impaired and just allow the car to drive you safely. Is that then DWI? It's your car or someone else's and you are the "director" and the passenger? Would the new crime be directing while intoxicated?
Would there be any crime at all if the car had a mishap and you were out of it? Are you still in charge, in control, or just a passenger in every sense of the word?

Would Self Driving Cars Speak the End of DWI or DWAI Drugs Charges?

Wouldn't some people just love that? Having a car be your chauffeur kinda like that movie Arthur, where the millionaire is drunk all the time and is driven around by his butler. Is the future being high on marijuana and being driven to Taco Bell at 2:00am?

These new things won't be called cars anymore. Cars are so passe. The new term is mobility solutions.

The products made in our factories will have some similarities to cars, may have wheels, tires and a windshield, but now they are mobility solutions . . . and NOT cars

Well I'm certainly not retiring yet. I think self driving mobility solutions are still decades away from becoming a reality. For I honestly don't believe that people want to give up the control and joy of driving anytime soon.

Cars speak to the whole life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You can't really pursue passively.

After all having something or someone drive you is NOT the same as driving yourself.

Ideas, quotes, and concepts for this blog post were inspired by fake news in Autoweek Magazine, Nov. 14, 2016.