I don't quite know how to receive news of Google's driverless car being granted a driver's licence for use in the US state of Nevada.
I can't help but feel that it heralds a new era for the automobile. When I first got my licence back in 1981 I had no trouble at all finding a van drivers job and, eventually building up my own specialist courier firm.
Over the years I've had a few prangs, had to contend with increased congestion, hikes in fuel and van insurance price and the odd bit of "white van man" prejudice but I know that compared to some, such as those from UK's once great industrial cities who've lost their jobs and communities, I haven't had it all that bad.
Yeah, granted, I've had two Ford Transits stolen – and suffered the van insurance claim consequences – had a hip replacement (years of football caught up) and developed a bit of asthma after years of smoking, but I'm not in bad shape.
But the world is changing. I've accepted this, albeit grudgingly, I'm on Facebook these days, my business has a website and I've even got an online bookings system, but the day I have to compete against a driverless van will be the day I finally retire.
I reckon that the day is now not that far away. Compared to how quickly technologies evolved a few decades ago, things happen at light speed now. And I can tell you that there's no way, absolutely no way, I'll ever stoop to comparing driverless van insurance quotes.
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