Driverless Cars Hollow the Road Trip

Automating long‑distance driving risks stripping the trip of incidental attention‑driven discoveries and embodied rhythms: passengers will be freer to read or stare at screens, regulations may constrain speed and spontaneity, and autonomous systems may not be calibrated to notice or act on the 'hey, pull over' moments that make road trips culturally meaningful. That change is not just about convenience; it alters what travel feels like and who controls moment‑to‑moment choices on the road. — This reframes autonomous vehicles as cultural and regulatory interventions, not merely technological upgrades, with implications for travel norms, privacy of attention, and vehicle design standards.