Despite the traffic jams, the rising cost of gas, and the stress of commuting, the "road trip" remains a central pillar of the global imagination. From Jack Kerouac to Hollywood car chases, the automobile is a symbol of American individualism and the "frontier" spirit.
This emotional connection is the biggest hurdle to public transit adoption. For many, the car is the only place where they have total control over their environment—the temperature, the music, and the destination. We don't just drive to get from Point A to Point B; we drive to "get away." As we move toward a future of autonomous "pods" and shared transit, we must figure out how to replace that sense of personal agency and adventure that the steering wheel has provided for over a century.
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