cooker

Yes, so this is what remains to be seen. Will self-driving cars lead to a surge in car-services and effectively increased sharing of cars and fewer cars in production; or will people still own private cars at the level they do today or even higher, and continue to use them primarily as sole owner/occupant?

My own opinion is that self-driving cars will accelerate the trend we are already seeing towards app-based-rides and car-sharing, and that at least some young healthy people will combine that with more walking, public transit and cycling, leading to less car use and ownership. I also think networking the cars will lead to more ride sharing, as Uber is now starting to offer as a discounted service. If you're being driven to King and Bay, and you get a text that if you agree to the car picking up Joe along the route, because he's also going to King and Bay, then your fare will be reduced by 40%, and there's a plexiglass shield between your seat and Joe's, and it will only add 90 seconds to your travel time, why wouldn't you do it?

However, of course it could go the other way, and since self-driving cars take some of the stress out of driving and also worrying about parking, they might lead to people taking more car trips, including both short and long trips.