I was car shopping this weekend and was blown away by the tech features that are available in even moderately priced cars. Adaptive cruise with lane assist, blind spot monitoring, backup cameras, navigation and even reverse automatic breaking. Even base models had quiet smooth rides.
When I bought my last new car 10 years ago, this was only the stuff of luxury brands. So that got me to thinking, what luxury commodities will become affordable in the next 10 years?
Their heads, if we play our cards right.
Potentially, nothing. There has been a concerning trend with some car manufacturers. The first buyer of the car buys optional extras, and then when the vehicle is resold those features are disabled again.
Other companies are introducing subscriptions for certain services. The car has the features built in from the start, but you have to pay/sign up for a subscription to unlock them.
It would be a shame if someone unlocked them without the manufacturer’s approval.
Likely it’ll happen. But it would also probably void warranties and such
Used cars rarely have warranties anyways, so there’s no reason not to root the car.
companies are introducing subscriptions for certain services
I wish buyers wouldn’t accept such things.
Houses right on the sea shores or partially submerged by sea water.
It’s my understanding a lot of new things you see on cars were mandated by law for safety, or will be soon. Backup cameras were brought into law in 2008, but not required until 2018.
To add, I think ebikes will be much more commonplace commuting wise. They’re already fairly affordable.
Not necessarily wealthy but developed countries have access to really amazing prosthetic limbs. In third world countries obviously injuries that cause people to lose limbs are as common or maybe even more, but it’s very rare to see people with prosthetics and pretty much impossible to have one of those modern with all the new features. In these countries losing a leg or an arm it really means so many things are over.
This applies to basically all of the newest health breakthroughs but I just happen to notice the prosthetic thing a lot.
I hope in a few years this will become more accessible to more people everywhere, this would really change so many lives.
AI advancements will hopefully unlock a lot of services that only the rich can currently afford
Most lower income people may skip getting ad hoc legal counsel, personal fitness trainers/nutritionists, party planners, financial advisors, etc.
But if AI allows for even halfway decent substitutes, these services could become affordable for everyone.
The absolute last things you should be getting from an AI is legal counsel and medical advice. Financial advice is the 2nd last.
Basically anything where mistakes are costly.
The currently hyped AI models have too much unreliable data in them to provide actionable advice in those areas. Maybe AIs specialized in those fields that are trained on curated data will be useful, but they would have to act more like search engines than AI. There is no chance the AI can comprehend our convoluted legal system, when even experienced professionals struggle with it.
Ever see the movie Elysium?
I think we could definitely be moving towards that kind of world, maybe without the literal rich person spaceship, but with AI defended compounds and AI controlling the population so their position in power could never be threatened again.
That might also happen. But at least we will all have AI lawyers to help get us out of parking tickets
Nothing. Trickle down has always been a lie so the wealthy could steal vast amounts of assets from the middle class and the poor.
Trickledown wealth, yes, but the spirit of OPs question is “stuff”. “Stuff” does generally get cheaper over time.
I bought a 55” Plasma TV in 2008 for $2100. Last year I bout a 65” OLED for $1600. Much better picture, much thinner/lighter, much lower power consumption and heat generation.
This is the spirit of OPs question.
So mostly electronics then!
The rest (like motors, solar panels etc) gets cheaper eventually put way slower.
Solar panels prices have, for the past several decades, been dropping like a rock while also becoming much highwer quality and higher efficiency. It’s only now that they seem to have for the most part leveled off. Now the panels the cheapest part of a solar setup. Batteries, inverters, and charge controllers are the more expensive items.
Well yes, and no.
Over several decades, yes.
Per year it has been a steady ~5% / year (to be fair IDK about like the last some years) since at least the 1970. It does add up! But slowly.
Electronics? Yeah that’s a falling rock. Like -50 percent (!) Every 18 months or 2 years.
The difference of “Moore’s law” and incremental advances in the rest of the industry really shows off when you compare them side to side.
BTW biotech seems to benefit or run on something like Moore’s law. It’s very interesting times over there IMO.
Why on earth did you buy such a massive television?
You know why. You’re just trying to be smug.
It’s fine if you don’t want a large television, but someone else isn’t CRAZY for making different choices.
It’d be nice to leave the toxicity on those other sites.
You know that won’t happen, people are people.
Great job being cynical.
Is it really cynical if it’s the truth?
It’s not the point of the discussion. It’s about technology getting more accessible over time.
So in this context the statement isn’t true, no.
No to be too much of a downer, but I see it happening the other way around.
Things available to the middle class that will be reserved to the wealthy. Like house owning, swimming pools, cars, plane travel, maybe even personal computers.
