The future is here! Or at least almost here. It does seem likely that one day soon, we’ll finally be able to text and drive with impunity because the car will be able to drive itself. And the implications of this new technology will change more than just when we text. This tech will impact even the experience of renting a home, so let’s peak into the future.
First, let’s dispense with the idiocy that none of us are going to own cars. The “experts” believe that we’re all going to subscribe to a ride sharing service and we’ll hail autonomous cars from our smart phones when wheels are needed. This might make sense in a dense urban environment like New York City, but for the rest of the world, you’re still going to want to own your own car, for lots of reasons.
For example, have you ridden in a taxi lately? They’re more often than not filthy. And that’s with a human to supervise what goes on in the back seat. Who knows what the randy couple was doing before you got in the robo ride. Shared autonomous vehicles will be about as popular as a public restroom – use only when necessary.
Second, that we all won’t want our own autonomous auto – do we call that an auto auto? Or how about auto2 – it defies common sense. For this to be true, for the very first time in history a product or service will become easier to use but we’ll want less of it.
No, instead, what’s going to happen is that we’ll want more! No need to wait until 16 for your first car and no need to hand in your keys when you get too old to drive. And the visually impaired can be car owners too.
What that means is that you’re still going to want your garage. That’s why at the new Wilson Heights apartments, The Fairways and at Catalina Crossing, there are plenty of two car and up to three car garages available – and at Catalina, they come wired for your electric car. This helps one of The Top Six Tenant Complaints.
Now if we could just find a computer smart enough to fill out a tax return, that’d be real progress!