Cars aren't going to simply disappear anytime soon. They're already entrenched, and they have been from almost the very beginning. What you're describing isn't

Cars aren't going to simply disappear anytime soon. They're already entrenched, and they have been from almost the very beginning. What you're describing isn't so much an alternative as it is a wistful dream of a completely re-engineered human condition. And I say this as someone who loves to bike, has high hopes for future public transportation changes, and believes that we'll come to see many of the changes you're alluding to trickle into the world. Even then, the sort of revolution you're describing wouldn't be one that simply swaps out the car, but one that would necessitate changing everything from cities to suburbs to everything in between. Cities don't change overnight; they change over decades. The implications of self-driving cars go well beyond simply cars "twirling the steering wheel themselves." From huge boosts in efficiency, to decreases in city congestion as people abandon the always exciting practice of circling the block for a parking space, to better traffic flow and decreases in traffic accidents to almost nil, self-driving cars are going to be revolutionary in ways that many can't even imagine. What's more is that they won't be limited to just private vehicles. Autonomous taxis will combine door-to-door service with the Zipcar sharing model together and turn the current system on its head. The same goes for buses and even subways and trains, where the ability to run unimpeded 24/7 will make mass transit options that much more flexible and easier to expand. All of this while minimizing congestion on the roads.