So, Waymo's finally unleashing its robotaxis on the freeways. Waymo taxis are coming to Los Angeles and Bay Area freeways Great. Just what we needed: another reason to stay off the damn 405. I mean, haven't we suffered enough?

The "AI" Revolution...Or Just Another Tech Bro Fantasy?

They're touting "robust safety protocols" and "artificial intelligence" that can handle "the unique demands and variables of highway driving." [Waymo taxis are coming to Los Angeles and Bay Area freeways] Oh, please. Last time I checked, AI couldn't even figure out how to make a decent cup of coffee, let alone navigate LA traffic. What happens when some idiot cuts off a Waymo at 80mph? Is it gonna calmly calculate the optimal evasive maneuver, or just slam on the brakes and cause a 20-car pileup? I'm betting on the latter.

And let's be real, this isn't about making our lives easier. It's about Silicon Valley trying to justify its existence by throwing more useless tech at problems that don't exist. "Oh, but it'll be so convenient!" they say. Yeah, convenient for the tech companies raking in the profits while actual human drivers are left jobless. [Waymo’s Self-Driving Cars Hit NYC Streets, Sparking Concerns for Taxi Drivers]

Don't even get me started on the whole "driverless" thing. It's creepy. Plain and simple. I don't want to be chauffeured around by some soulless algorithm. I want a human being behind the wheel, someone I can actually talk to—or, you know, yell at when they take a wrong turn.

The Human Cost: Who Cares About Taxi Drivers Anyway?

Speaking of human drivers, what about all the taxi and Uber drivers who are gonna be out of work because of this crap? Waymo’s Self-Driving Cars Hit NYC Streets, Sparking Concerns for Taxi Drivers They're already struggling to make ends meet, thanks to the gig economy and predatory loan practices. Now they have to compete with robots? It's not a fair fight. It's like pitting a toddler against Mike Tyson.

And sure, maybe self-driving cars will eventually be safer than human drivers. Maybe. But even if that's true, is it worth sacrificing the livelihoods of thousands of people for a marginal increase in safety? I don't think so.

It's the same old story: tech companies promising innovation and progress, while conveniently ignoring the human cost. They expect us to believe this nonsense, and honestly...

Oh, and now they are testing them in NYC? Give me a break. That's like testing a toaster in a hurricane.

The Future is Here, and It's Depressing

Waymo's not the only player in this game, offcourse. Tesla's working on its own robotaxi service, and Amazon's got Zoox. [Waymo taxis are coming to Los Angeles and Bay Area freeways] It's a race to the bottom, a competition to see who can automate the most jobs and extract the most profit from our increasingly dystopian future.

I'm not saying technology is inherently evil. But when it's used to replace human connection and exploit vulnerable workers, it's hard to see the upside. Maybe I'm just being a grumpy old man here, clinging to a bygone era of human drivers and simpler times. Maybe I'm the one who's out of touch.

But I can't shake the feeling that we're heading down a dangerous road. A road where human beings are increasingly obsolete, replaced by machines that are programmed to maximize efficiency and minimize cost. And that, my friends, is a road to nowhere.

So, Is This Progress or Just a Giant Leap Backward?

It's a disaster waiting to happen, and I'm not looking forward to saying "I told you so" when the first self-driving car plows into a school bus.