Self-Driving and Electric Vehicles, Over Promised and Under Delivered

The slow progress of autonomous vehicle and electric vehicle technology in gaining widespread traction in the transportation market is casting doubt on the ambitious statements of a few years prior.

2 minute read

July 17, 2019, 11:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Autonomous Vehicles

Jeffrey Rothfeder writes a long-read on a lack of progress in the autonomous vehicle industry, which reveals plenty of reason for skepticism about the past promises from industry leaders about the pace of change in the transportation sector.

Evidence for skepticism takes many forms, like court documents unsealed in 2017 related to a lawsuit filed against the ride-sharing company Waymo, Google’s self-driving car unit. "Simply put, Uber—and, as it turns out, many other automobile manufacturers—have been wildly overpromising," reports Rothfeder.

Many of Uber's projections were made without any data to back up their aggressive timeline. Assumptions and estimates deployed, not projections that have proven accurate.

After the court documents were unsealed, Uber officials have taken a more cautious approach. Earlier this month, "the company’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said at an Economic Club meeting in Washington, DC, that it will take more than 50 years for all Uber cars to be driverless, a lifetime away," writes Rothfeder.

Rothfeder finds many more examples of the same kind of exuberance in the electric vehicle realm. The reality has proven wildly underwhelming compared to projects. For instance, "in 2010, J.D. Power and Associates predicted that within a decade, global hybrid and EV annual sales would top five million units. The EV segment is nowhere near that goal and, if anything, is retrenching. 

There is a lot more detail, evidence, and anecdote provided in this long read. The business of transportation technology research and development is changing as the challenges of delivering widespread, systematic change in mobility become more obvious than the over exuberance of tech "visionaries."

Wednesday, July 10, 2019 in Fast Company

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo walking down city street.

Cuomo Is the Candidate of Both NIMBYs and Developers. What Gives?

In the New York City mayoral race, odd bedfellows align to preserve the housing status quo.

June 23, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Large spinning swing ride at Chicago's Navy Pier.

The Subversive Car-Free Guide to Trump's Great American Road Trip

Car-free ways to access Chicagoland’s best tourist attractions.

45 minutes ago - Streetsblog Chicago

Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas at night with rotating Tower of the Americas in foreground.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion

The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

1 hour ago - Governing

Large building under construnction in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia at sunset.

Charlottesville Temporarily Has No Zoning Code

A judge ordered the Virginia city to throw out its newly revised zoning code, leaving permitting for new development in legal limbo.

2 hours ago - Charlottesville Tomorrow