Winners and losers in a conversion to driverless cars, as predicted by Neil Winton of the Detroit News:

“The avoidance of accidents will cut insurance costs. Fuel savings will be huge from more efficient high-speed, long-distance cruising in ‘car-trains.’ Congestion avoidance will speed traffic and save fuel too. Older people won’t lose their freedom of mobility when they physically can’t drive any more. Inexperienced young people won’t be barred from driving because of crippling initial insurance costs.

There will be losers too. Obviously taxi companies will find business disappearing. Railroads, bus companies and short-haul airlines will suffer. If you can move from your home to your destination, door-to-door in the comfort of your car, who’s going to take the train, bus or plane? Hotels might be in for a shock too. If you can travel overnight to your business meeting in the morning by sleeping in the back of your self-driving Winnebago, showering and breakfasting on the way, who’d want to do it the traditional way? Big winners will include software sellers with in-car applications to entertain drivers with new time on their hands. Radio and recorded music businesses will lose a captive audience.”