The CDC’s vaccine price list has single doses of vaccines going for around $50 in most cases. Experian has the average price of a new car at $50,000 in the US, and there are almost as many cars as people in this country. That average is dominated by non-autonomous cars. Vaccinating everyone in the US would probably cost quite a bit less than $50 a head. Even with economies of scale, replacing every car in the US would probably not cost leas than $50,000 per vehicle, and maybe a good bit more. Therefore, the best case for autonomous cars is that they cost 1000 times more than vaccinations, and I could easily see the ratio going as much as a factor of 10 beyond that.

Waymo is operating at a loss. It is funded by Google’s limitless advertising revenue, because they’re willing to take big risks on possible future revolution.

FWIW, I think Waymo is doing it right. They’re appropriately cautious and safe, and they stick to small areas they can map really well. They don’t advertise any unrealistic timelines for replacing all human drivers. I would vote to allow Waymo in my city. I would vote against Tesla.