AV evangelists also tend to neglect the very real possibility that suburban-based SOVs could become AVs, particularly given the suburban mindset of America and the very real power base of voters and money. And suburban-based AV-SOVs used for commuting could lure a lot of people away from commuter rail and long mass transit commutes, by offering essentially a similar, but more convenient "no need to drive" commute. Even if you are stuck in horrible traffic, you're not driving, so can be pretty productive as you crawl into and out of the city.
AV-SOV carmaggedon.
Suburbs? Technologically easier, yes. But Suburbs do not have the screaming necessity for it.
It already is approaching an existential need in cities. It will be even more of an existential need in the coming decades. The impetus for this isn’t based on the discretionary but on the do or die economic survival needs of cities being choked off.
The Surburban consumer doesn’t face that same “Can’t get there from here” scenario.
No one wanted to wear a mask until it became an existential need. Some still don’t but the vast majority do. Necessity is a mother.
Personally, I never intend to give up the freedom of driving my own car. But in a dense and dynamic city, I certainly would because of the increasingly existential necessity.
Money talks. The center city real estate possibilities of this globally would be in the trillions. This isn’t some sandals and granola idealism. This is cold, hard economics and good old fashioned-capitalism.
