Why Are We Still Driving?

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Why Are We Still Driving?

Confronting the weirdness of a Waymo future.

April 30, 2026,

5:02 a.m. ET

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Ross Douthat

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Sophia Alvarez Boyd

Mr. Douthat is a columnist and the host of the “Interesting Times” podcast.

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Why Are We Still Driving?

Confronting the weirdness of a Waymo future.

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Patrick T. Fallon/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

It feels as if we’ve been hearing about self-driving cars for a long time, but now they’re really here. Ferrying people to work and school and nightlife from Los Angeles to Nashville, poised to spread to just about every big city in America.

My guest this week is very optimistic about a future where the cars take over. He writes about self-driving automobiles and transportation policy on his Substack, “Changing Lanes,” and he’s a co-author of a recent book with the stark title “The End of Driving.”

We talked about the potential benefits of this transformation, and as someone who loves the open road, I pressed him on what’s lost — in freedom and mastery — if we don’t have to be in the driver’s seat anymore.

Why Are We Still Driving?

Confronting the weirdness of a Waymo future.

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Ross Douthat:

Andrew Miller, welcome to “Interesting Times.”

Andrew Miller:

Thank you. It’s a pleasure to be here.

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