Live in the future now
You can have a driverless car, metaverse workplace and home-cleaning robots today! But it will cost you and likely disappoint, says Nicole Kobie
The future is unevenly distributed. That famous axiom, courtesy of sci-fi author William Gibson, has become a tech cliché, but when it comes to the arrival of futuristic technologies it holds true. Yes, many sci-fi innovations are already here if you’re willing to put in some effort and turn on your imagination, but you must also lower your expectations.
Consider driverless cars, AI personal assistants and robot butlers. These technologies loom over the horizon. They may never come to be, perhaps tripped up by technical limitations or regulatory demands. But you can try out the early versions of these ideas now for a small taste of what the future could bring.
Here’s how to capture a glimpse of the future by renting a swish car, automating your work with AI, upgrading your Zoom calls, working less, and spending far too much money on home appliances.
Waymo’s driverless taxis can be hailed in LA and Phoenix, Arizona
Hit the road in a driverless car
Dream of sitting back and letting the car do the driving? There are a few ways you can achieve this now. The first is to book an Uber and pretend the driver isn’t there – but don’t do this. It’s rude and it will likely hurt your rider rating. No-one wants to slip below four stars, after all.
The second route is to head to the US or China for a holiday. Pick a destination such as San Francisco or Beijing that has robotaxis operating, download the requisite app, and enjoy geographical and temporal tourism at the same time.
For a ride in a Waymo, you can also head to Los Angeles or Phoenix, and the company plans to expand to Austin, Atlanta and Miami next. Rides are limited to specific catchment areas, however, so you’ll have to plan your trip carefully.
Not keen on international travel? You can visit the future of driving while staying home. Level 2 driverless cars are approved on British motorways, so buy or rent the right vehicle and you too can feel the thrill of the future of automotive automation: carefully changing lanes, maintaining a safe distance from the car ahead and dutifully obeying speed limits.