It isn’t a “concern” for auto manufacturers. It’s a future business model. Instead of making and selling 100 cars through dealers and all that they’ll make 20 cars and run their own ride sharing businesses. Instead of having dealers and all that rigamarole, they’ll do away with all the middlemen and the costs. Instead of having cars that are bought and eventually paid for, they’ll make cheap econo boxes for which the payments are never ending. You, instead of paying $700 a month for a car you own and can eventually pay out, will pay $500 a month in perpetuity directly to Ford, GM, or Toyota for the privilege of sharing one of those other cars with half the town. And of course, you’ll not have much choice because the only cars available to private individuals will cost $500k.
That way, we reduce the congestion and pollution while still allowing the rich to enjoy their convenience and freedom. You proles will have adjust your lifestyles accordingly.
Dude ^^^^ is onto something I think.
The shared car deal has been happening in some places for a long time. Someone mentioned the cost of having one in NYC. That's not the only place.
College towns, heck even the poor folks on my ID channel murder shows are always letting their friends use the community car. I think they're of the disposable type though. Bought cheap, run hard, leave in a field when it starts crapping out.
Uber and such got their starts for some of the reasons mentioned on this thread. Better to just pay someone for a ride when you need one. Take the subway or train if necessary at other times.
Next, they'll be after your tools. Can't tell you how many particular ones I own that haven't been used in a few months. Probably haven't used a 24" pipewrench in over a year.
The RICH oligarchs would likely prefer I just call one of their companies and have them send out a technician that they make a profit one, and let them use their pipewrench.
