Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself...I agree 100% - do you?

Trust is an extraordinary thing - it's also an inevitable thing we all have to do on a daily basis. Fear features now and then too of course...

We trust the person driving that car towards us not to veer into our path - we trust the air traffic controllers to keep a watchful eye on their screens - we trust computers to run a giant chunk of the world around us - and in my case a few weeks ago, I trusted a complete stranger with my life. He said...

I'm going to do everything I can to bring you back safe and sound

Yep! I was completely reassured by that declaration...kind of!

As we inexorably shift so much of our lives away from human intervention into machine controlled (inter)action - should we be more confident and comfortable or less so? In reality, without knowing it, so much of our lives are already 'in their hands'

The next 'leap of faith' I'm more than ready for is the shift to driverless vehicle technology. I've already taken the plunge a while back on that during a Tesla Model S test drive in Oxford...I found it exciting, liberating, and profound.

As with so many experiences in life, the anticipation was the scary part and doing it was the easy peezy part. A bit like jumping out of an aircraft at 14,000 feet strapped to a stranger.

Trust is also a core component of what Brand means.

I trust UBER to deliver a safe ride for me anywhere in the world I happen to be. That's worked dozens of times to date for me in China (before it switched to Didi), USA, Australia, Netherlands, France, and of course at home here in the UK.

What mostly delivers on that trust is the technology of course - as well as price and convenience. Open the App - fill in the origin and destination, and ask for a ride. Whilst I really enjoy knowing that it's Frank or Philip or Felicity about to pick me up - and we always seem to chat about 'how's it going for you' - it's the tech-interaction that has tied me to Travis & Co.

As to driverless UBER's - many of the people behind the wheel are telling me they can't wait! They love the idea of putting their vehicle to work around the clock - some even envisage running a small fleet - so to my mind they are already on that critical journey from a linear to a circular economy.

So, as all forms of automation and artificial intelligence improve, and our lives are more and more 'in their hands' - a truth dawns that it's been that way for some time, it is indeed inexorable - some say insidious, but for sure it's essential as we shakedown humanity's place in the natural world.

And as to the electric vehicle amidst it all, oh yes, that will be a big feature of all our lives...trust me - it will!

And finally, if you want to witness how I conquered a fear of heights whilst in Australia a few weeks ago - and how Seb, my best friend ever in the whole world for 6 minutes helped me, take a look below...

My 'moment of truth' arrives at 2:55 if you want to skip to the face of Mr Terrified!...

As I took the plunge in setting up my own business a few years ago - it's given me the confidence to try anything and everything with everyone wherever I am...well almost!

Thanks for dropping by today!

Roger

www.electricvehiclesoutlook.com