Worldwide, more and more people continue to purchase and drive motor vehicles. This is the revealed preference of massive numbers of humans as soon as they can afford to do so, implying more congestion, pollution, roads, parking lots, injuries, and deaths. Currently, world vehicle population doubles every 20 years. By 2030, the planet is expected to have two billion motorized vehicles—twice as many as it did in 2010.

During this same time vehicle technology will change dramatically. Two technical revolutions, the first regarding alternate energy systems and powertrains and the second regarding robotics comprising artificial intelligence and sensor systems, promise to make motor vehicles cleaner and safer. These two changes will make motorized travel cheaper, more convenient and more appealing. The concomitant risk is that this helps ensure and possibly shorten the current doubling time to further increase the problem of growing congestion and loss of land to roads and parking space.

Manifesto for the End of Driving—comments welcomed.