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Can you make a mechanically powered car
According to the Chasam Sofer you are still violating the asei of shabosan (resting).
It’s possible using grama technology with an electric car but it could never pass government requirements for motor vehicles because of issues like turn signals and brake lights.
jzq, it sounds like you are asking whether an autonomous vehicle would be muttar for riding on Shabbos. I am not a qualified posken, but you should clarify your question. Even if the car, including the doors, stopping and starting, was fully automated, I suspect it would not be allowed because of Maras Ayin. Maybe these vehicles will be commonplace someday and Maras Ayin will not be an issue, but that’s a long way off. I’m sure there will be plenty of machlokeses over it in the meantime.
Can you make a mechanically powered car
You mean a bicycle?
Reb Eliezer, surely you are joking. Are you suggesting Shmos 20:10 applies to autonomous cars?
Of course we SHOULD have a Shabbos car! Doesn’t it say “Tiferes AUTO l’yom hamenucha”. – LOL
My kids used to have one. It was red and yellow, and said “Little Tikes” on it. It even had these googly eyes on the front!
Obviously, in Chasam Sofer’s time there was no car. He ruled over a steamboat which rocks one, disturbs his tranquility.
Doesn’t the issur of riding on a steamboat apply to the operators’ inability to rest? Anyway the shailah is theoretical until autonomous cars become commonplace. Seriously, it would be very nice for older or otherwise physically challenged folks who live far from shul. And people could buy homes that are further away from shul. Just think, one less excuse not to be at minyan.
If one holds the using electricity is NOT a form of burning (which some people do, even though using electricity heats things and the material used is eventally consumed), it might be considered possible to make a computerized electric car that wold be usable on Shabbos but for the issue of “Shavus”.
Of course, one can always convert to being “Reform”, which solves the problem.
Note that if you allow an autonomous car are Shabbos, you are probably allowing any use of computers or smartphones and even electric lights.
A mechanically powered car violated laws of physics, since you need to have energy from some source, so presumably the question is on a mechanical car powered by some form of energy.
“Note that if you allow an autonomous car are Shabbos, you are probably allowing any use of computers or smartphones and even electric lights.”
Let’s stick to the point please. For what it’s worth, even if I had a truly autonomous car I would not use it on Shabbos in 2020 because of Maras Ayin.
But If you keep your cholent warm on a blech that you set up on Friday afternoon, then I don’t see why this kind of predetrmined use of energy is any more of a problem.
The premise is that the car is programmed to take someone on a predetermined trip at a preset time. Like a Shabbos Clock.
Or it could just follow a route from some homes to a shul or other Shabbos-appropriate place (NOT the Wawa) continuously through Friday afternoon to midnight, and again beginning Saturday morning. This is similar to a Shabbos elevator.
If you hold that either a Shabbos Clock or a Shabbos Elevator is Assur, then of course this convenience is not for you.
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