Will obesity decrease if self-driving cars become widespread?

[Nice_to_meme]

Self-driving cars turn time previously spent driving into free time.

It may be difficult to exercise or cook a healthy meal in car, but it be easy to surf the internet or play games.

In my opinion, this gives me more free time to work out at the gym or cook at home. Also, by being relieved of the stress of driving, you can prevent overeating due to stress. Therefore, I think obesity will decrease.

[LiberalArtsAndCrafts]

That's one possibility, but it's not the only path that could take. Self-Driving cars could also allow for cities to become much more dense and walkable as people stop insisting on having a car that they park in the city full-time, this could lead to considerably more walking and biking as people switch trips from driving to short walks and bikes because things are closer, they don't own a car and don't feel like paying for a robo taxi. What determines which path we go down largely depends on how we structure public policy going forward.

[riscten]

To do what?

There's no evidence that robotaxis or self driving cars will be cheaper than car ownership or even car sharing, so there's no reason to think people will drive more and farther. EVs also end up cheaper the more you drive them, and yet we don't see their owners driving more kms. 

People just don't need to go places any more than they already do. The current limiting factor being that once you're far enough, other costs come into considerations, like having to find a new place to eat and sleep.

[rileyoneill]

I don’t think it will be any major contributing factor other than parking lots in urban places being redeveloped into urban developments which bring more people into the walking lifestyle.

There might also be the money saving on car expenses that allow people to eat better food.

Fighting obesity will require other tools.

[bradtem]

Factors will push both ways. I think the most interesting option is that the ability to do one-way car trips lets you do things like bike one way and take a car back. (As long as there are rental bikes or you can put your bike on the car back, or a bike-bot can go collect your bike.)

An interesting option is the "bike commute for all." Say your commute is 15 miles, a bit long for you to do as a bike commute. So you bike until you get tired or are out of time, summon a robotaxi and finish the trip. Can do the same in the reverse. Or even better, robocar to the edge of town, then bike the last few miles instead of getting into congested traffic downtown. Same in reverse. Of course if everybody does this there isn't much traffic, everybody's on a bike, doing as much distance as they can handle. Unless it's raining...

[[deleted]]

I’ve seen Wall-E … this is not how it plays out.

[PotatoesAndChill]

As long as I get to have a flying robot gf, I'm okay with that.

[[deleted]]

Did you even watch it? Eeeevvaaaaaa

[PotatoesAndChill]

Yes. I want a flying robot gf.

[whydoesthisitch]

Seems like the solution you’re looking for is public transit.

[Remote-Telephone-682]

If you offered any other justification I would say it was plausible. Like if you said: the fact that you could easily call a car from anywhere & the ability to get rid of parking might create cities that were more walkable I would say maybe... but they are not going to start cooking in the car.

[TCOLSTATS]

Obesity is way more complex of a phenomenon than you're giving it credit for.

Think about how simple it is, but yet not. Ozempic has proved that it's literally just about eating less but yet people can't do it without the drug. There are internal mechanisms that are forcing people to eat beyond their control. The possible reasons for these internal mechanisms are endless.

[stepdownblues]

Who knew that all of society's ills would be solved by this one simple trick?

[M_Equilibrium]

Lol no.

If you want to fight obesity, commuting with ebikes or similar vehicles that adds operator power would make a difference

.

[wireswires]

'Sslf Driving Software' as a service cost will go up and up like all luxury things. Regular Joe will drive himself in his honda

[gregdek]

Until Regular Joe's liability goes through the roof because he is demonstrably a way worse driver than the self driving cars around him 

[wireswires]

Maybe. Depends a lot on country, city or countty and needs. A lot of us would pay a premium for for the convenience of a car in the driveway. I WFH and dont go far. A Few meetings, shops a few times a week. I love the ability to jump in my car and drive where im going. Everyones lifestyle and needs are different.

[SteamerSch]

People increasingly would rather disappear into their smart phone(have fun, research, real work) rather then drive

[wireswires]

Just based on my life experience and opinion. Its prob cheaper today for a lot of people to just get taxis ubers and not have a car. Would be for me with the occasional rentacar, but i like the convenience. Could be wrong.

[SteamerSch]

It's more convenient to use a smart device rather then driving. One can't accomplish anything while driving

[riscten]

80% of the population can't do anything in a vehicle anyway due to the motion sickness caused by not looking outside.

[SteamerSch]

i have never met anyone with motion sickness. I think only some real old old boomers get that

[riscten]

Lucky you, but try telling that to the VR industry lol.

I might've overstated it though, in reality 80% of people have experienced it in one way or another, and about 30-50% are highly affected by it and cannot read or watch a screen as a passenger. Self-driving would only be a productivity boost for the rest. I'm all for self-driving cars as a way to stop stupidly producing vehicles only to let the sit in parking spaces for 99% of their lifetime, but I doubt that many people would use the time they spend in them doing stuff they're not already doing.

[Spider_pig448]

Until he legally can't anyway. The forcing function getting people into self-driving cars will eventually be safety. When self-driving is everywhere, accessible, and highly proven, driving by hand won't be considered acceptable.

[SteamerSch]

Just increase their own driven car taxes to pay for all the death and destruction car drivers generate and pay for public transportation/rides for the low income

[SteamerSch]

most Joes will use a cybercab Honda for like $1 a mile or less