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How the Wine Industry Will Feel the Effects of Self-Driving Tech

Wine companies are bottling up ideas, preparing them for a huge takeover in the world of self-driving tech.

Self-driving tech is everywhere today, isn't it? From pizza delivery companies teaming up with major automakers to finding new ways to keep us on our phones and more distracted while in a car, self-driving tech companies are looking to plant down roots on the American road. And if that's not good enough, those same companies are looking for ways to dominate the American skies as well.

The idea of flying cars isn't anything new, but now they may actually be a reality beyond just cartoon slides or Minority Report scenes. In fact advances in AI and self-driving tech are boosting this once-upon-a-dream into IRL plans. So, how and who will it affect?

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Forbes highlighted a conversation with Philip van Allen, a design consultant, researcher, technologist, and educator who teaches at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. The professor, who focuses on artificial intelligence in his studies, says that by 2022 fully autonomous vehicles "are likely to be broadly deployed."

So, with this mass deployment on the cusp, and flying taxis around the corner, one industry is looking to capitalize: wine. Wine companies are projecting that with the onslaught of self-driving tech taking over the roads (and skies) passengers have more opportunity to get lit, climb into a vehicle or pod, and zip off.

We Have Lift Off

When these types of vehicles are being used on a wide scale, wine companies are also prepping to use them as marketing tools. Vineyards can have a handful of visitors hop aboard and take to the skies to overlook the grapes below. Plus, wine companies can advertise inside vehicles (especially taxi-like ones) and suggest the best wine pairings for an upcoming dinner. Genius.

Van Allen also pointed out that wine companies will make use of delivery, whether by air or land. Wine delivery is set to break in and it only makes sense. As mentioned above, Dominoes is already finding ways to deliver some hot 'za to customers without anyone behind the wheel, so why not wine?

NEXT: Autonomous Cars and Bikes Present a Real Problem

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