It's way cooler for me than, say, a self-driving car (I live in the city and have no need for one).
To be fair, a self-driving taxi may revolutionize urban life by making short taxi trips FAR less expensive and at least moderately more convenient. If self-driving cars become commonplace, city life should also be safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Not to mention reduced carbon emissions if all said cars were, say, electric.
I kept thinking of _The Fifth Element_ while reading your comment. Except instead of flying cars, HOV lanes packed tightly together carrying thousands of passengers traveling safely at 90 MPH. Saving emissions, being efficient. I can see it happening.
I don't really think "revolutionize" is the right word to use here. Lots of people live urban lives while interacting with taxis twice a year, on their birthday and on NYE or similar occasions.
Free energy forever might revolutionize things. Cheaper and easier to find taxis will be a small improvement.
I think you miss the point of 'revolutionising'. It's not about making a couple of trips a year a bit cheaper. It's revolutionary if taxis become cheap enough that lots of people stop owning their own car. Or even if two car families become one car families.
People already do that by moving into the city, esp. NY, SF, and CHI. (People moving to LA buy more cars...)
Taxis are disproportionately located in cities because that is where they make the most money (largest customer base). Making taxi rides cheaper would cut into their earnings, and would result in a corresponding loss of taxis until profit margins are restored.
To be fair, a self-driving taxi may revolutionize urban life by making short taxi trips FAR less expensive and at least moderately more convenient. If self-driving cars become commonplace, city life should also be safer for pedestrians and cyclists.