I admit I’m a little bit obsessed by the impending arrival of autonomous vehicles.

I’ve told my 82 year old father he’ll be able to get one to his local golf club by the time he’s 90.

I don’t have grandchildren yet but I’m pretty sure that by the time the eldest is old enough to learn to drive, there won’t be any point. It won’t make sense to drive when a vehicle is always available at the touch of a button. And it will be much cheaper to call a car when you need one than own one.

Stanford University think tank Rethink X has recently released a report predicting that A-EV’s (autonomous electric vehicles) will account for 95% of road miles in the USA by 2030, just 10 years after commercial use starts in 2020. One of the big reasons for this quick transition will be massive savings compared with using an ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle. They aren’t saying that 95% of cars will be A-EV’s but because these cars will be on the road 10 times more than normal ICE cars, they will dominate.

This will also mean the demise of the oil industry but that’s a story for another day.

The impact of the rise of the A-EV will, in my humble opinion, be the biggest development in our societies for generations.

Big statement I know, but just think about it.

  • No more looking for a car park. A-EVs don’t need to park. After they drop you off, they pick up someone else or go somewhere quiet to wait for you.
  • Every A-EV is public transport. You can share one to work or school or get one home from dinner.
  • Elderly people regain independence lost when they can no longer drive.
  • Land reserved for ICE vehicles (parking lots) can be used for more productive purposes, allowing more people to live close to city centres.
  • Traffic accidents and deaths will be dramatically reduced. This means thousands of lives will be saved every year. In the USA, 33,000 people die each year in traffic accidents. That’s the same as one passenger jet crashing every day.
  • Traffic congestion will be reduced. Predictions suggest significantly fewer vehicles will be needed.

autonomous electric vehicles

The list goes on and includes the fact that vehicle ownership will plummet with most cars being part of huge fleets owned by A-EV manufacturers.

This will also directly impact our ownership of property.

  • No need for a garage because we don’t own a car anymore.
  • Streets will no longer be cluttered with parked cars.
  • We can live further away from work because we can work (or sleep) during the commute.
  • Transport to work will be easier and more comfortable.
  • Sharing a vehicle with neighbours might re-ignite better community engagement
  • Lower transport costs will give us better choice about where we live.

I’m sure there will be issues as this revolution gets going but, in my view, the sooner we take human drivers off the road the better.

And when my granddaughter wants to meet her friends she won’t be asking for the car keys, just our app login.

Best Regards,
Michael Ferrier

At EYEON Property Inspections, we help you buy and sell with more confidence.