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Two reasons to own a car, even if level 5 autonomous is available. 1. Storage. As a family with little kids, the car is a mobile storage for diapers, toys, and
by qznc 10y ago
Two reasons to own a car, even if level 5 autonomous is available.
1. Storage. As a family with little kids, the car is a mobile storage for diapers, toys, and other stuff. This was the main reason, why we got our own car. We used car sharing before.
2. Customization. Cars are still a status symbol and for heavy commuters also living space. Car manufacturers already provide more and more options to customize.
The second reason is not that strong. I can imagine that cars lose the status symbol appeal, because economic reasons always win. Eventually, only rich people own their cars.
The first reason is difficult. My prediction would be that many people will switch to car sharing. It is already happening even without autonomous cars. Families with little kids still want their own cars. Effectively, it becomes more expensive to have kids due to autonomous cars, relatively.
- aninhumer 10y agoI think you could have a transferable storage unit for people who need it, especially if the cars were specially built. So once you get out, the car goes somewhere (probably nearby) and drops off your stuff, and then the next car picks it up again. It would probably be more expensive, but potentially still worth it compared to storing the whole car for people who need that capability. That said, I don't think self-driving taxis will completely replace car ownership, at least in the medium term.
- pjc50 10y agoThat requires the stuff to be in the storage unit rather than randomly distributed across seat cushions, door cubbyholes, cupholders, and so on. (Cheap robotic guaranteed theft-free car valeting might change this, I grant you)
- cameldrv 10y agoSome people will still want to own a car, some won't. However, parking is going to be a lot less of a problem. 1. Some people will used shared ride services, so the shared car rarely needs to park. 2. Cars will be able to much more densely park. Autonomous cars that can communicate with each other can pack themselves in on the side of the street bumper to bumper. In parking lots with rows, spaces can be much narrower since people don't need to open the doors, the car can just pull forward itself. Even the rows between cars can be filled up. You see this at the facebook campus now because they don't have enough parking, but it takes an army of valets to move all the cars around. 3. People will own and drive smaller cars on average. Even for people who do own a car, the ability to have a larger vehicle available on demand will tend to make them buy smaller cars. 4. Even when it's hard to find parking in an area, the car can drive itself to areas where parking is less scarce. Overall my guess is that all of these are going to effectively increase the amount of parking available by 4-5x. Parking simply won't be a problem anymore, unless of course this induces demand, we build higher, and without parking garages...