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Here’s What It Takes to Build a Self-Driving Business — And Where We Stand Today


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This does a good job explaining the business opportunity here and how it goes far beyond just building self-driving vehicles.

It's like cell phones - you get a one time small profit when you sell a customer a phone but then they pay you $50/month for the next few years for services.  That's where the money is at.

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https://www.autoblog.com/2018/11/15/ford-ceo-jim-hackett-vw-partnership/

 

This article is somewhat related.....talks about the potential tie up with VW.  I found this part obvious:

In the meantime, Ford is testing different ways in which self-driving vehicles can be used to carry people and goods. In Miami, for example, the company is collaborating with local businesses to test designs for vehicles that can deliver food, laundry or flowers. On Wednesday, Ford said it would work with Walmart to design automated delivery services.

"We see equal opportunity between moving people and moving goods," said Sherif Marakby, head of Ford's autonomous vehicle unit.

Among the lessons Ford executives have learned from nearly a year of testing in Miami: Customers who live in high-rise apartment buildings are less willing to make a trip to the street to pick up a package stored in a locker built into a vehicle, Marakby said. At the same time, people living in suburban neighborhoods are often interested in getting food or goods delivered from businesses in the city.

 

The whole point of delivery is so you don't have to go anywhere, not have to walk downstairs.

 

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I still haven't seen one of Ford's Miami vehicles.

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