As dystopian images of the future go, it doesn’t get much better than a bloke interacting with a virtual reality headset while driving a bulletproof Tesla Cybertruck hands-free. The vehicle is designed, according to manufacturer Elon Musk, to ensure “if you have an argument with another car, you will win”.

The footage, which went viral earlier this month along with similar clips of drivers on autopilot using Apple Vision Pro, prompted safety warnings from transport authorities in the United States. And although they were isolated videos, seemingly filmed as pranks, they tapped into a general unease with Big Tech’s product line. The inequity of access to new devices, the displacement of human agency, and the erection of barriers to physical contact are all baked in.

The Vision Pro retails for $3,499 (€3,250) and looks like a pair of ski goggles mashed with Bono’s fly glasses. A promotional ad shows a father staring at his children bug-eyed while wearing the contraption in 3D-record mode – a sight that will take years of counselling for those kids to overcome.

Reminder—ALL advanced driver assistance systems available today require the human driver to be in control and fully engaged in the driving task at all times. pic.twitter.com/OpPy36mOgC

Of course there are many benefits to new technology, but one downside, it seems, is its impact on human empathy. The evidence is patchy, but an oft-quoted study at University of Michigan found that levels of empathy in American students fell........

© The Irish Times