How Hyperloops and autonomous vehicles change the future of driving

With Elon Musk divulging his Hyperloop concept, documenting how a solar-powered pneumatic capsule within a tube could have people speeding from Los Angeles to San Francisco in just 30-minutes, and most automakers having some form of working concept for an autonomous vehicle, what's going to be left for people who like driving?

While Musk's Hyperloop remains merely an idea, albeit an idea that on the surface appears feasible, it offers a glimpse into the potential future of transportation. While the I-5 from LA to San Francisco isn't exactly pleasant, the direction we head as a species remains clear. Moving from a society where long road trips denote free-spirited adventure, to an era where capsules traveling close to 900 mph turn what today remains a long journey into one that could be completed during a lunch break, the glory of piloting a car along beautiful country roads appears to be dwindling.

Then we have autonomous cars; the idea of which has already received virulent critique amongst the driving enthusiasts who despise the thought of becoming little more than button pushers, despite the sizable improvement . Autonomous vehicles, too, are racing towards production, faster than previously expected.

Even in today's cars — like the Lincoln MKZ and Infiniti Q50 — a form of semi-autonomous driving can be accomplished, albeit not to the degree we will eventually see. Many cars possess adaptive cruise control and emergency braking that adjusts the vehicle's speed to that of the car in front, and can stop quickly if a situation presents itself. An adaptive steering system, like Infiniti's drive-by-wire electrical steering that initiates course corrections, can keep the car centered in the lane. So combining these assets effectively creates a car that can drive itself, with zero driver input, at least for a short period of time; at some point, driver intervention becomes necessary, but the basic ideas are already out there.

And it's not just autonomous driving, either. Driver engagement has gradually been stifled over the years; all but eliminating manual transmissions, moving to electric power steering to save weight and increase efficiency — to the detriment of steering feel — and, of course, an influx of hybrid engines and all-electric cars, entirely in an effort to appease federal regulations and save consumers cash at the pump.