While re-imagining parking lots is certainly a worthwhile exercise, I am reminded by a recent and very intriguing HN comment (sorry couldn't find it) that compared our avg utilization of automobiles (low) to the avg utilization of airplanes (high) and suggested that we must re-imagine how we use cars.
Specifically, why do we buy cars only to have them sit around unused most of the time (in front of our house, in a parking lot, etc)?
We buy cars for the same reason rich people buy planes and don't use them. You don't pay to have the car, you pay to have the car on constant standby, ready for your use the moment you want it.
If you solve the standby problem with ubiquitously, instantly available zip cars without turning it into the fiasco that is trying to broad a commercial flight, or find a cab in the city, you win.
Exactly the kind of thing ZipCar helps with. That's the real game changer. Self-driving cars might be cool but unless they are shared, they won't fundamentally reshape our experience.
Specifically, why do we buy cars only to have them sit around unused most of the time (in front of our house, in a parking lot, etc)?