Self-Driving Cars

A month or so ago on the morning news, mixed in among the latest “Breaking News” was a short blurb about several auto companies having declared that they plan to have self-driving cars by 2019. 

Now I had heard about the coming of self-driving cars (SDCs from now on) for several years. In fact, Volvo announced almost a year ago that all of its cars would be self-driving by 2019.  Maybe that’s why others have chosen that magical year.  I really don’t know. 

I had not given it too much thought until now.  We just bought a new car two weeks ago. And if this one lasts like our previous one – it has lasted ten years and is still going with 126,000 plus miles – then the next one we purchase will probably be self-driving.

Why would people want them?  I mean I understand that for safety reasons why some might like to have an SDC. Some people don’t like to drive, so it would a convenience.  But I grew up during the age when owning a good-looking car as a teenager was the ultimate dream.  And for a while, I had that Dream Car.

I learned to drive on a 1947 Chevy two-door sedan.  It was old when I got my license in 1960.  And it was a basic dull black, primarily because the prior owner or owners didn’t really take care of it.  It was Mom’s car actually.  It was a stick shift.

The family car was a 1958 Ford Fairlane sedan.  I think it was only two doors, automatic, and can’t remember the color except it was two-tone, both of which were on the light and bright side.  I didn’t get to drive it much. And then usually only on special dates. 

When I went to band practices or to football games during which the band played I drove the Chevy, but that all changed my junior year in high school.

When Grandpap Verno moved in with us and couldn’t drive, Mom began using his car, a red 1956 Chevy Belair hardtop (white).  I used it for my junior and senior proms. Before he died Grandpap had it painted to black with a white top.

When I began going to college it became my car. My friend, Rick, had a silver and white 1957 Belair hardtop.

 We would cruise Main Street and West Chestnut Street to Big Boy’s in our separate cars, then back into adjoining parking spaces and then order food so the roller skating attendants would come out and serve us.

I also installed pale blue lights on the underside of the dash panel so I could flip a switch and light up the floor area.  Way romantic when I was on a date!  I also took a small mirror from a powder compact and glued it on to the gas pedal.  That way when a girl sat next to me in the car – that’s where the girl sat even if you weren’t going together – I could move my foot if she was wearing a short skirt!! Unfortunately, it didn’t really work that well. 

This was my junior prom. It was still red and white.

When I went overseas in 1966 I left the car (without the gas pedal mirror) with Mom with the understanding that I would get it back when I returned.  When I did return in 1968, she had sold it!

Driving was so much fun back then.  No, we didn’t have seat belts or other safety features we have today.  But we didn’t have cell phones, CDs, DVDs, and other things to distract us except each other or the radio.  I enjoyed driving. 

I had spent several years as a summer chauffer for a blind lady (story another time) when I was in high school. I learned a lot about driving there.

Why would anyone want a self-driving car? 



(Gadugi 11)