To Enjoy Driverless Cars, First Kill All the Lawyers

Here's the dream: You want to go out to meet some friends for a drink, 30 miles from your house. You get into your autocar, set the destination, and then lie back for a quick disco nap so that you'll be fresh enough for dancing afterward. The car drops you off at the restaurant and obediently takes itself off to the parking lot. It will come back to pick you up when you send an electronic signal that you're ready. You can even have it drop off a friend who lives five miles beyond your house -- after it's dropped you off. It will be back in the driveway in time for your morning trip to the farmer's market.

Or maybe you don't own a car, but want to go to the crowded ballgame on the outskirts of town. You pull out your smartphone, which informs you that an autocab is five minutes away -- seven minutes if you want to cut your costs by sharing with a nice couple who are already on their way to the game. Because you're meeting friends at the park, you'd love to save money by sharing. You spend five minutes getting your wallet and keys together, and checking out tonight's lineup, before your autocab pulls up to the door with a nice couple already in it ... wearing the jerseys and caps of the opposite team.