Would you trust a robot to drive you around? Would you trust a robot taxi? What if these driverless cars meant reducing greenhouse gas emissions? This isn’t something out of a science fiction novel. In fact, the cars could be widely available in the next 15 years.

Driverless cars, or more specifically, robo-cabs, are so space age, not to mention a good bit unsettling because they’re the ultimate means of sacrificing control to a computer. But according to researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, driverless robo-cabs could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent when compared to privately owned gas-powered vehicles. What’s more, they could reduce emissions by 82 percent when compared to more efficient hybrid vehicles. The study is published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

“Autonomous taxis make a promising early business case for connected and automated vehicles because they spread the purchase cost among many users and match appropriate vehicles to trip needs,” wrote Austin Brown of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Washington in an article that accompanied the study, reported in the Los Angeles Times.

The emission reductions on these driveless cars come from so-called “right-sizing” car trips, according to the article.

“Most trips in the U.S. are taken singly, meaning one- or two-seat cars would satisfy most trips,” Greenblatt said in a statement. “That gives us a factor of two savings, since smaller vehicles means reduced energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.”

The driverless cars would be battery operated and far smaller than traditional gas-powered cars.

While many car manufacturers are working to bring the driverless cars to market, Google famously started the discussion a few years back. Their robo-fleet would pick up people on demand using an app.

In 2013, the company invested $258 million in a fleet that’s equipped with cameras, sensors, and radars. The cars cost a reported $150,000 each but Google thinks they can bring the price down in the coming years by making some of the software itself rather than outsourcing the work to auto manufacturers. Even still, there’s a good chance that the vehicles would be worth the price to companies like Uber in gas savings alone. The economic benefits are what bring huge companies like Google and Uber to the table, but the environmental benefits are real and worth the initial investment.

Additionally, if these driverless cars became more widely available, they might eliminate the need for individuals to own their own cars. For example, if the only place you drove was to work and to the grocery store and the rest of your life was in walking distance, it might be cheaper to spend your money on robo-cabs rather than having to invest in the maintenance and gas money of owning your own car. It’s appealing considering the amount of money older cars cost us in maintenance each and every month. And of course, there’s nothing quite as cool as being driven around by a robot.

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Multiple companies are now developing and testing driver-less cars. EcoSalon takes a light-hearted look at how a self-driving car could change your life.

As a freelancer, I’m used to working pretty much anywhere I can find a plug and a strong WiFi connection. The only place I really can’t work is in the car, which is annoying on long road trips during which I’d love to be able to get some work done. I must not be the only one who feels like travel time could be better spent.

Regus, which operates close to 2,000 business centers around the world, and Rinspeed, a Swiss studio focused on the automotive industry, recently made headlines with a self-driving car that doubles as an on-road office. Revealed at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, the XchangE features two fronts seats that swivel backwards to create a meeting space for four people. The electric car’s advanced infotainment system would also make it possible for workers to connect to their office and create presentations–which means less panic when you run into a wall of traffic on the way to a big meeting.

Rinspeed’s mobile office concept got us thinking about all the other things that will be possible once the self-driving car becomes reality…

4 More Things You Could Do With A Self-Driving Car

Sleep – Forget those uncomfortable road trips fueled by energy drinks and gut-busting fast food. With a self-driving car, the vacation starts the moment you buckle in. Just pull up a blanket and let the snoring begin.

Read/Study –  Never mind those books on tape. When you’re cruising in a self-driving car, you can pore over the pages of your favorite book without slowing down. And if you opted to go that concert instead of studying for your upcoming mid-term, the three-hour trip home in a self-driving car becomes a valuable cramming session.

Put on makeup – Nothing terrifies me more than being stuck in morning rush hour traffic and watching the woman behind me putting on makeup. With a self-driving car, you’d always be able to set the alarm 15 minutes later, and take care of make-up in the car without putting anyone at risk.

Fool around – With no need to keep your hands on the wheel, a self-driving car like the XchangE presents a prime opportunity for some quality snuggle time with your traveling partner. Just swivel those seats around and see what happens. You’re likely to arrive at your destination in a much better mood!

What funny/crazy/productive thing would you do in a self-driving car? Tell us in the comments!

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