Would riding in an automated vehicle that requires no active controls or commands still be considered ho’tza’ah? If that’s OK, then I shouldn’t have to wait for the technology. I could have a shabbos goy pick me up in a conventional car and take me home based on the shul’s schedule, as long as I have no interaction (spoken words, hand gestures) with the goy.
And back when there were human elevator operators, were shabbos elevators necessary? As long as the operator recognized you on the ground floor, he could take you to the correct floor for your apartment. (But you’d have to walk downstairs when going to shul)