Tomorrow is filled with promise. We are already witnessing glimpses of a future where cars will be able to drive without human guidance or even a traditional steering wheel. The most immediate value of this exciting new development will be the new found time we will have sitting idle inside the vehicle. Most will likely use that time to surf the web. No surprise that Google, the famed search engine company, is working hard at building systems for autonomous vehicles. What they want more than anything is for the average commuter to invest another two hours a day using Google search engines while sitting in traffic for their daily commute. In a world where old school advertisers will pay millions of dollars for a few minutes of your focus, you can imagine what a treasure trove two fresh hours of searching can mean to a company who builds their revenue based on keeping your attention.
Google’s autonomous car…a practical appliance, but would it ever have an Owner’s Club?
The autonomous car is the tool for the growing “attention economy”. The currency being traded at the highest stakes are your eyeballs. This is not new. Car companies have long known that the secret to earning sales is to entice your eyeballs with a fantastic looking car. A beautiful car is a highly desirable possession, sought after primarily for the combined effect of beauty and high performance. But there is also an important connection to the agency of that beauty. By purchasing and being in control of the movement and performance of a traditional car, the owner is essentially in charge of the use and distribution of that object; an object that reflects the taste and style of the owner as they display it while in motion.
