Overlanding/Off-roading and Self-Driving Vehicles?

[Lassen]

Self Driving Off-road Rigs? Maybe someday as this article discusses - https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/pictures/going-off-road-in-land-rovers-prototype-autonomous-vehicles/.

After reading this article it made me think about how this could impact overlanding in the future.

With things moving along in technology, what will happen to overlanding with self-driving vehicles?

Things I'm thinking about is what will happen to overlanding as a whole? Will it begin to fade as drivers are removed from the drivers seat? Will it grow because people who don't necessarily like to drive will feel more empowered to take road trips? What happens to off-road trails? Can you imagine doing the Rubicon without a steering wheel? Could the rubicon even be done by computer? Would a computer be able to tell passengers, "Hey, hook up the winch over there around that tree so I can pull us through?" Would auto manufacturers or aftermarket developers create a hybrid vehicle, the computer tackles the highways but can be turned off on trails.

I know that when self driving cars become the norm, I'd have no interest in getting a car. As it is now, one of my priorities is wanting to know how fun a car is to drive. If I can't drive, I don't really have any preference at all.

So, what does anyone here on OverlandBound.com think?

 

[The other Sean]

I don't see it taking over for trail riding. I do however think it will take over on road. In fact, I would be more inclined to road trip if I could sit back and relax on the on road portion. Seriously, grab a book and read for hours, nap, play cards. yup.

 

[VDawg1115]

Would totally take the fun out of the off-highway parts. I enjoy driving, so I wouldn't. If you could turn it on only when getting sleepy that would be awesome though

 

[Murphy Slaw]

I enjoy, actually LOVE to drive.

I'm glad this technology won't be perfected for a while. Rural areas without good signal, roads that aren't where they are supposed to be, hell my Garmon is wrong OFTEN.

I'll never use it unless it's mandated.....

 

[The other Sean]

Would totally take the fun out of the off-highway parts. I enjoy driving, so I wouldn't. If you could turn it on only when getting sleepy that would be awesome though

I work at 5am and have a 20 minute drive in the dark. I would love to hop in my truck, tell the truck to go to work and lean back and go back to sleep. I would get an extra 20 minutes of sleep every morning.

Going between my day job to my evening job always has stop and go traffic. Once again, I'd tell the truck to go to work and I'd lean back and nap or read a book.

last November my Dad and I were talking about this topic on our 4.5 hr drive up north to go hunting. We both agreed we would rather be playing cribbage on the center console than staring out the window for hours.

 

[[DO]Ron]

Where is the fun in overlanding / offroading if the car does everything by itself? I deffo don't want a car that drives itself.. I drove a Prius with all those automatic stop systems and inteligent cruise control, never used it.. Not my thing.

 

[Vyscera]

if fuel injection couldn't kill carburetors in 50 years, I don't think some driverless cars are going to kill overlanding. There will always be hobbyists.

 

[Big E]

I guess some people do not like driving. I have never been one of those. I want to drive a vehicle not ride in one. I like manual transmissions because I feel more connected to the machine. It makes me pay attention to it more. It would not be fun to just set a course and be taken somewhere. My two pennies.