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Opinion: Owning a Car Will Soon Be as Quaint as Owning a Horse
I will die before I buy another car. I don't say that because I am particularly old or sick, but because I am at the front end of one of the next major secular trends in tech. Owning a car will soon be like owning a horse — a quaint hobby, an interesting rarity and a cool thing to take out for a spin on the weekend.
Before you object, let me be clear: I will drive in cars until I die. But the concept of actually purchasing, maintaining, insuring and garaging an automobile in the next few decades? Finished.
[...] It's obviously an easier decision if you live near a major metropolitan area, like I do, where the alternatives — cars and then car pools and then bikes and now scooters — are myriad. (Why, by the way, this is a revolution led by private companies instead of public transportation is an important topic for another day.) In other countries, often with denser populations, there are even more ideas bubbling up, from auto-rickshaws and motorbike taxis to new bus services.
Obviously, the biggest change will be the advent of truly autonomous vehicles, which are still years or even decades in the future. But in the meantime I am going to lean into this future all I can, and will chronicle the efforts over the next year, its costs and its benefits and how I get there. Or not.
(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Monday March 25 2019, @08:00AM (1 child)
Renting a minivan/SUV on-demand in the suburbs? Unlikely.
Car ownership in NYC has been the domain of rich people (who probably have chauffeurs) and cab companies (who drive other people) for as long as I can recall, so in those environments, sure. But if you have anything bigger than a breadbox you want to shuttle around -- which is becoming less likely, with the progress of digital computing, imaging, networking, and storage -- you'll probably want to stick it in the trunk for a few hours. Committed to a team sport or camping? I bet you'll still want your own vehicle.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 25 2019, @03:20PM
Malls are the ideal suburban travel hubs of the future.
You don't think there is any way that someone could start putting shit that people need inside the giant empty malls of america?
That empty sears? With it's loading bays, full service garages with lifts and everything?
Plus they can fill the rest of the mall with shit that people actually need. Like banks,public libraries, movie theatres, government offices, gyms, barbers, laundromats, accountants, maybe an Amazon Featured showroom and some pickup lockers. Refrigerated lockers for Amazon Fresh even, get your groceries and go! Not to mention the good bus and highway access these locations usually have. Often these places have a few dying car dealerships or auto shops right next door.
Most suburban neighborhoods have grocery stores, parks, churches, and schools that have parking that could be used for local drop off. If you're in a hurry they can also host a bike share so you can ride your fat ass back home. They can hire kids to return the bikes like they used to get paid for delivering newspapers or mowing lawns. Wrangling cars could be a good low skill gig, just a clean driving record and you're in.
None of that shit will bring money in hand over fist like a Best Buy selling monster cables and extended warranties in the 90s but oh well.