33 Industries Driverless

Cars Will Transform 2021

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Food delivery, work from home, air travel,
healthcare — discover how autonomous
vehicles will impact these areas and
29 others.

Once upon a time, industry experts predicted that driverless or

autonomous vehicles (AVs) would be everywhere by 2021. While
these vehicles have yet to become a common feature on the road, it’s
likely that the tech will go mainstream at some point over the next
2 decades, and preparations to face this shift have already begun.

Already, 40+ major corporates including Google, Apple, and

Mercedes Benz are hard at work building self-driving vehicles.
Clearly, tech and auto companies stand to gain, but many other
industries could face serious upheavals unless they are able to
adapt to the many changes self-driving cars will bring to the market.

Below, we dive into 33 industries, from the obvious (professional

driving & trucking) to the more surprising (fitness?), that will be
shaken up by the advent of AVs.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 3

Coworking spaces

Work from home — chances are you’ve heard of it. While there
was discussion around distributed workforces in the pre-Covid
era, the practice was largely viewed as experimental, with
few organizations embracing it. Pandemic-related lockdown
restrictions accelerated this trend, making it a reality by necessity,
forcing many to reimagine how and where work should take place.

People tend to use coworking spaces when they don’t have a

central office and their home space is not conducive to their work
needs. So while time saved driving could be used for a number of
tasks, it has the potential to be used productively by workers who
want to leave home but also want to avoid a trip to an office space
with other people and distractions aplenty. Given that AV features
and functionalities — such as screen tech and internet connectivity
— are advancing at a rapid rate, they could be equipped to serve as
mobile offices, creating an entirely new, ultra-flexible workspace
for the everyday worker.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 4

Hotels

The hotel industry could look very different in the future. Major
hotel chains, like Marriott, have already introduced home-sharing
platforms in an attempt to adapt to the rise of lodging alternatives
like Airbnb. The proliferation of driverless cars could cut into
another big portion of hotels’ customer bases: those who opt for a
single-night stay while driving from one place to another.

In fact, Aprilli Design Studio has already developed a conceptual

design for a self-driving mobile hotel that could accommodate
up to 5 guests. The studio’s founder, Steve Lee, states that this
crossover of artificial intelligence and big data with driverless
vehicles has the potential to reshape the hospitality industry. Aprilli
hopes to release these cars before 2030.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 5

Airlines

Cross-continental car trips don’t appear to be on the horizon

anytime soon, but domestic and short-haul flights could face a
significant threat from self-driving cars — especially as post-Covid
flight aversion lingers. In fact, it will take until at least 2023 for air
travel to return to pre-pandemic levels, according to McKinsey.

Once autonomous vehicles make car travel more convenient,

many people might choose to take an on-demand car ride for
shorter trips instead of going through the many hassles of air
travel. A study in the International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics,
and Aerospace found that travelers were most likely to replace
flying with autonomous driving for mid-range driving trips (7 to
11 hours). In these cases, the number of those who chose flying
declined by nearly 30% when given the option of an AV.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 6

Insurance

Despite some challenges, many believe driverless cars will make

automobile transportation a whole lot safer, significantly reducing
the number of auto accidents in the long run. While this might
save insurers money on payouts in the near future, demand for
traditional insurance could ultimately decrease as the risk of a car
crash drops. In fact, insurance premiums could drop by $25B by
2035 as a result of AVs, according to Accenture.

In anticipation of this shift, some insurers will look to expand their

existing offerings by adding new product lines geared specifically
toward AVs, addressing issues like cybersecurity, sensor and
algorithm liability, and infrastructure. These new policies could
help insurers capture revenue to offset initial losses. Major
players — like Progressive and Travelers — have already rolled
out products in areas like cybersecurity, but these largely target
today’s business models. Expect to see these offerings evolve to
take passenger vehicles into account as AV tech becomes more
mainstream.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 7

Auto repairs

Fewer accidents will mean fewer trips to the body shop.

Additionally, mechanics’ traditional expertise might become less
valuable as cars become more connected and software-dependent.

For example, Zubie offers real-time diagnostics to owners of

connected cars, enabling them to understand what’s wrong
with their engines before they bring them in for inspection. This
information could provide AVs with actionable insights into
the repairs they need, allowing them to calibrate preventive
maintenance as well as drive themselves to the mechanic when
necessary, with a specific service order at the ready.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 8

Auto parts

As technology evolves, smart driving software — like brake

assists — will put less wear and tear on cars, likely necessitating
fewer replacements. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean
autonomous vehicles will be cheaper to maintain. Costs may
simply shift to where value lies in an AV: computational power. In
fact, Deloitte reports that electronics — such as microprocessors
and chips — already account for 40% of a vehicle’s total cost, and
this will only increase with full autonomy.

This means that traditional parts manufacturers will likely face

competition from more technology-focused companies like
Nvidia, which has been tapped by top automakers to help build the
computers needed for cars to make their own driving decisions.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 9

Professional driving & delivery services

Driverless automobiles could reduce demand for human truckers,

taxi drivers, waste management drivers, delivery people, and
other professional drivers. Specifically, telematics technology —
the use of telecommunications to facilitate communication and
gather data from vehicles — could enable driving-based service
companies to pivot into managing self-driving fleets that run their
routes and complete set tasks with optimal efficiency.

While these systems have the potential to reduce fleet

management costs by up to 40%, benefits are not a foregone
conclusion — the choice of operational model is critical and must
be done strategically.

Autonomous platooning, for example, involves a series of vehicles

following each other closely and requires that they precisely match
braking and acceleration. This works well in low-density traffic
situations but could be complicated in areas with heavy traffic
flows or constant junctures, like railroad crossings, that interfere
with the chain of succession.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 10

The transfer hub model, where trucks drive autonomously on the
highway and are picked up by drivers when they exit, is better
suited to areas with cross-traffic and intersections but requires
more human involvement. Other models, like tele-operations and
dock-to-dock, capture value in different ways as well.

Daimler has found early success with platooning, reporting

that it was able to lower fuel usage by 10% due to decreased air
resistance. Daimler, like many automotive companies, has chosen
to aim for “highly” as opposed to “fully” automated driving.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 11

Ride-hailing

It will be very interesting to see how self-driving cars change

the game for ride-hailing companies. Though companies like
Uber and Lyft have been able to provide significant competition
for traditional taxi companies, it’s unclear whether they will be
better at producing cars than major auto manufacturers like
BMW, or even tech companies like Google that have spent more
time working on self-driving vehicles. In fact, both Uber and Lyft
recently sold off their self-driving car units in order to focus their
efforts on their core businesses — and it is unclear if they will pivot
back to pursuing this tech.

While ride-hailing companies would not have to pay drivers

anymore in a driverless future, they may have to shoulder the
costs of owning cars — a burden presently held by third-party
contractors. Nonetheless, companies like Uber will maintain a
major structural advantage over rivals that don’t have vast troves
of navigation and ride data to fuel automation. Plus, it’s entirely
possible that ride-hailing companies could partner with an AV
developer for their fleets, largely maintaining their present function
of serving as the intermediary between those who need a ride and
those who have vehicles to go around.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 12

Public transportation

Why wait around for a bus that will drop you off 5 blocks from your
destination when a driverless car can show up at your doorstep
and take you exactly where you want to go? Without drivers, on-
demand ride-hailing could be even cheaper for consumers than
current rates, especially if fleets allow for on-demand carpooling.

These fleets will be able to service out-of-the-way locations that

are presently ignored by fixed-route public transportation, which
will allow more people to move to the suburbs without sacrificing
the mobility often associated with urban living.

Early signs of metropolitan population preference for this mode

of transportation have started to make themselves known. For
example, a study conducted by researchers from the University of
Wisconsin Madison found that, if available, 31% of people would
opt to take an AV — nearly double the number of respondents who
would choose to take the bus in this scenario.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 13

Healthcare

One much-touted benefit of driverless cars is increased safety.

In theory, a connected driverless car network would be largely
free from accidental collisions. Given that 2M hospital visits and
240,000 extended hospital visits are the result of traffic accidents,
AVs have the potential to significantly reduce the number of
emergency room visits. This would contribute to annual cost
savings of $180B for consumers — while equating to over $20B in
losses for the medical industry, according to McKinsey.

In addition to fewer accidents, autonomous fleets could help boost

the quality and speed of medication delivery, fulfilling the expectations
of rapid and seamless delivery that consumers now hold in our
e-commerce-driven world. As highlighted in our Pharmaceutical
Last-Mile Delivery ESP Vendor Assessment, partnerships between
pharmaceutical and AV tech cos have already been formed in an
attempt to transform delivery in this way — notably, CVS Health is
testing autonomous prescription delivery with Nuro.

Partnerships like this could prove to be a game-changer when it

comes to medication adherence, as the increased efficiency and
dependability associated with autonomous delivery could make it
far easier for patients to receive prescriptions (and refills) exactly
when needed.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 14

Rescue & emergency services

Along those lines, autonomous vehicles could even be used to

monitor passengers’ health and direct them to health facilities in
emergencies — for example, acting as a self-driving ambulance for
an individual who has a heart attack on the road.

Emergency services could employ the use of driverless vehicles

like autonomous ambulances or fire trucks to deliver services
without needing a driver. Connected vehicles could use real-time
traffic information to determine ideal routes more efficiently than
a human driver. They could also connect with healthcare providers
to automatically send patient data (such as vital signs) to doctors
en route, freeing up EMTs to focus on the patient.

Driverless vehicles may also be able to reach people in need in

dangerous or remote areas, without putting rescue workers at
risk — for example, bringing supplies to or extracting people from
natural disaster areas, accident sites, evacuation areas, or combat
zones. In the future, AVs could help manage the more frequent and
intense natural disasters resulting from climate change, according
to Bryan Koon, former director at the Florida Division of Emergency
Management.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 15

Energy & petroleum

The advent of driverless cars is likely to lead to depressed demand

for gasoline. It’s assumed that the majority of self-driving vehicles
in the future will run on electricity and not gas. In fact, we’re
already seeing this: Tesla’s electric Model S, for instance, currently
incorporates autonomous elements like its Autopilot feature.

The impact of driverless cars on energy consumption is still highly

uncertain — with recent literature reporting anywhere from a 60%
decrease to a 200% increase in consumption. Those expecting
an increase in consumption say that the ability to multitask while
driving will encourage us to take more trips, as there will be less of
a perceived time cost.

Nevertheless, a great deal of the infrastructure for self-driving

electric cars (e.g., networks of charging stations) is still
nascent. This transition period will give oil and gas companies
an opportunity to figure out how they fit into the new energy
ecosystem.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 16

Convenience stores

Convenience stores have long been a go-to location for off-hours

travelers looking to pick up snacks, drinks, and other oddities while
most everything else is closed. The challenge that AVs pose to this
dependable institution is two-fold — decreased foot traffic and
increased competition.

Convenience stores have traditionally been attached to gas

stations, pulling in drivers while they wait for the pump to finish.
Roads full of driverless cars with the capability of driving to the
gas station to fill themselves would reduce the number of humans
making the visit. And given that, without drivers, cars have no need
for beef jerky or an ice-cold energy drink, convenience stores could
see the number of purchases drop significantly as a result.

Increased competition comes in the form of autonomous vehicles

equipped for delivery. The value that the convenience store’s 24-
hour operating schedule holds could be significantly reduced with
autonomous vehicles on the road capable of delivering that ice-
cold energy drink right to a consumer’s doorstep.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 17

China-based Moby Mart, for instance, is developing a mobile retail
space that drives to consumers, who can scan items off the shelf
and pay using a mobile app — and prototypes of this vehicle are
already on the streets of Shanghai. The question remains if brick-
and-mortar convenience stores will be able to survive in a world
where twilight excursions are no longer necessary.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 18

Fast food

70% percent of McDonald’s sales reportedly come through the

drive-thru window — and this figure jumped to 90% in Q2’20 with
the onset of Covid-19. Such dependence on drive-thru revenue
could make fast food companies like McDonald’s extremely
vulnerable in a driverless world.

In self-driving cars, people would simply input the coordinates of

their destination, reducing the chance of detour for an impulse food
purchase. Food stops will be determined more by choice, mood, and
quality — less by convenience. Additionally, fast food restaurants
located near highway exits could take a hit, as people might stop for
gas less frequently when they are being transported by a driverless
fleet whose cars refuel while they are not being used.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 19

Food preparation & delivery

In addition to disrupting the status quo for drive-thru fast food

restaurants, driverless tech could also change food delivery.
Automated vehicles can offer restaurants a way to efficiently
deliver their food without needing to hire human drivers. Down
the road, delivery vehicles could even be outfitted to cook food en
route to customers, meaning that food arrives fresh and warm and
delivery operations are made more efficient. A vehicle would be
able to make several delivery stops rather than needing to return to
a main restaurant location between each delivery.

Robotics company Nuro has already developed a driverless

delivery vehicle — called the R2 — that is purpose-built to carry
fresh food. It has the capacity to maintain proper temperature
through adjustable heated and chilled compartments, and it is
also fully autonomous, meaning that there is dedicated space for
a driver, freeing up space for more deliveries. Some of the features
that make this driverless journey possible are 360° cameras, lidar,
short- and long-range radar, and ultrasonic sensors.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 20

Media & entertainment

The average American drives nearly 1 hour each day, and without
having to keep their eyes on the road, they could theoretically have
more time to consume news and entertainment. For advertisers,
it could create a huge opportunity to present riders with location-
based ads for nearby goods and services.

Recent advancements in vehicle screen and VR technology are

already changing entertainment and media consumption. In
2019, Intel and Warner Bros. demoed a new concept car capable
of providing a fully immersive experience to occupants. Using
large-screen TVs, projectors, mobile devices, sensory and haptic
feedback, and immersive audio and lights, the car took passengers
on a virtual ride through Batman’s Gotham City.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 21

Surveying & mapping

Driverless cars cannot rely on traditional maps outfitted for GPS

navigation purposes. AV software requires AI-enabled HD maps
that integrate and analyze data from a variety of sources — car
sensors, satellites, lidar, onboard cameras, and more — in order
to properly position the car in a 3D space. Only with maps of this
caliber will an AV be able to properly react to obstacles and take
real-time traffic and weather conditions into account.

In order to remain relevant with the rise of AVs, map developers

and providers will need to acquire new technology and apply it to
production. This shift is certainly not without its challenges. For
one, generating these maps requires massive amounts of data,
the computational power to process all of it, and the bandwidth to
stream the final high-resolution rendering. Cloud-based navigation
platforms and 5G tech could prove to be the answers in this case.
However, companies will face additional complications related to
obtaining geospatial data — typically guarded by governments and
private entities in proprietary formats — as well as balancing the
increased cost of HD mapmaking with affordability for consumers.

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Data & internet infastructure

The need for HD maps is just one of many AV-related

advancements that will necessitate the rise of new data and
internet infrastructure solutions. As driverless cars take to the
roads, they will generate huge amounts of data on top of that
required for positioning and navigation — in fact, it’s estimated that
an autonomous car generates anywhere from 5 to 20 terabytes of
data per day, per Quantum product marketing director for archive
products Mark Pastor. The need to store and process copious
amounts of data could drive demand for more data centers, lower-
latency wireless connections, and more robust fiber networks.

Notably, managing V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle) communication

presents new concerns around wireless data exchange. Internet
companies have gone back and forth regarding different options
available for accommodating AVs on their existing networks. While
some are leaning toward tapping into the 5.9GHz spectrum, others
are pushing for non-DRSC LTE-Vehicular (LTE-V) communication.
Regardless of what setup is employed, internet service providers
will likely need to adapt their offerings as the market for driverless
vehicles emerges.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 23

Cybersecurity

With new forms of wireless communication come new security and

data protection concerns for technology companies to address.

Already, hackers have proven the ability to remotely hijack regular

vehicle systems. The same methods could be applied to hack an
AV — and the prospect of a remote takeover could be even more
problematic given that there may not even be a human present
with the capacity to intervene.

Startups are innovating to keep AV cybersecurity risks to a

minimum: Karamba Security, for one, has built a solution that
protects a car’s externally connected components, such as those
connected to Bluetooth or WiFi, by identifying and blocking attack
attempts.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 24

Urban planning & real estate

Most modern cities have been built to cater to the needs of cars.
Subways and elevated trains can sidestep the restrictions of
surface roads, but highways, bridges, and tunnels are designed
with human drivers and cargo vehicles in mind.

Autonomous cars will likely change how these roads are used. A
linked network might be able to seamlessly let vehicles in and out
of traffic in an orderly flow. Traffic signals will be redesigned and
possibly eliminated in many situations, as autonomous cars will be
able to take turns at higher speeds, move around each other more
smoothly, and potentially move through intersections without ever
having to stop.

The future presence of AVs needs to be taken into consideration in

planning right now. City planners laying out the cities of the future
and architects looking to design buildings to stand for the next
century (or more) need to reimagine their approach in the present
at risk of their hard work becoming redundant down the road.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 25

Reimagining urban space not only means reconsidering the
structures that should (or shouldn’t) be built, but also the value
that the land upon which they stand holds. The Covid-driven
exodus of residents to the suburbs provided a glance at how
residential property value could shift from properties in urban
centers to those in suburban areas.

The addition of a faster and easier commute enabled by AVs is

likely to bolster this trend, as fewer individuals will feel that it is
necessary to reside in the city where they work. Given that real
estate values are largely predicated on population density and
growth, this urban decentralization would have a similar effect on
the commercial side of things as well.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 26

Parking garages & lots

Given that driverless cars can park in and exit lots on their own to
pick up passengers, space isn’t needed in parking lots on either
side for a driver or passengers to get out, meaning that cars can
be packed much tighter. Research conducted by the University of
Toronto has shown that, in a square parking lot, it’s possible to
make room for up to 87% more vehicles when AVs park themselves.

In addition to helping maximize the utility of existing space, AVs

may reduce the need for long-term parking altogether, as they have
the capacity to move continuously between the various places
they are needed.

Given that parking spaces currently take up a large portion of

many American cities — in New York City, there are around 3M
parking spaces for curbside parking alone — a driverless world
would come with many valuable opportunities for this space to
be repurposed.

With malls being turned into hospitals and retail spaces into ghost
kitchens, a large-scale reimagination of physical space is already
underway. There is certainly room for this innovation to spill over
into parking and transform the ubiquitous parking space.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 27

Toll road operation

Autonomous vehicles have been proven to make driving a

more compelling mode of transportation. The ease of use and
opportunity to devote energy to other tasks encourages more trips
and more miles traveled. Widespread AV use would be good news
for conventional toll roads, like major thoroughfares, as those
routes are largely unavoidable and could see increased revenue
from higher frequency and duration of travel.

On the other hand, managed lanes — such as high-occupancy

or express toll lanes, which are alternative routes designed to
capture revenue from heavy traffic patterns — could potentially
experience massive losses. In addition to making driving less of a
cognitive burden for drivers, AV use has been predicted to reduce
congestion, making managed lanes, which charge more at peak
hours or serve as a traffic escape for drivers willing to pay a fee,
largely redundant. And given that these congestion relievers are
usually optional routes, it would be quite easy for AVs to simply
reroute and avoid them.

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Brick-and-mortar retail

As drones and autonomous cars begin taking over delivery,

the location of brick-and-mortar stores may begin to matter
less as humans avoid the drive. For example, users could order
from their favorite grocery stores regardless of proximity and
have autonomous vehicles do the fetching for them in a single
trip — and if these vehicles are equipped with the latest in cold-
chain technology, the distance from shop to home wouldn’t be a
complicating factor. Additionally, stores may see less incidental
walk-in traffic from people just noticing them while driving or
walking by.

On the other hand, needing to devote less energy to the act of

driving may actually compel people to get in the car and drive
longer distances to visit farther-flung shops and restaurants that
they wouldn’t have before. According to Institute of Transportation
Studies researcher Scott Hardman, autopilot “lowers the cognitive
burden of driving,” which could make greater distances seem less
daunting.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 29

Auto dealerships

With fleets of autonomous vehicles to hop in and out of, whether

made available by car companies or through ride-hailing
companies, more and more riders may abandon traditional car
ownership models.

For instance, car ownership may shift toward a subscription

model, wherein the rental company provides a vehicle and all
maintenance for one fee so that drivers can gain access to unique
features without having to commit to buying a car. In fact, this
move is already underway — Elon Musk announced that Tesla
would be releasing a Full Self-Driving subscription in 2021 for
drivers looking to adopt a pay-as-you-go model.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 30

Oil change shops & car washes

As vehicle ownership and maintenance moves to fleet owners

and away from individuals as a result of autonomous cars, the
responsibility for maintaining those vehicles will switch over to
the fleets as well. Oil change spots, car washes, and even rental
outlets could all vanish as fleet owners focus on their own facilities
or other solutions to handle these needs.

In addition to competition with fleet-owned facilities, traditional

car washes face the added challenge of having equipment ill-
suited to servicing the AVs that do decide to stop for a wash.
Presently, most driverless cars require a hand wash to avoid
blinding or damaging the sensors integral to their functionality.

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Interior design & manufacturing

What will people do inside their cars, once they no longer have to
drive them? Interior design will likely have to shift to accommodate
how people choose to spend their time, as design need not be
centered around the steering wheel, increasing consumer appetite
for more space. Volkswagen executive director of design Klaus
Bischoff notes that, in comparison to traditional design, “the
autonomous interior…is based on the passenger’s needs. The
autonomous interior gives passengers time to do what they want
while getting where they want to go.”

Also, such considerations don’t only relate to human travel — what

about animal travelers or packages out for delivery? As companies
that specialize in vehicle-interior design refine visions for how
and why travel will take place in AVs, companies that manufacture
vehicle interiors will also change what they produce.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 32

Traffic enforcement

Smoother traffic operations and fewer humans behind the wheel

could decrease the need for officers to take on traffic direction
duties. Additionally, cities could see their revenues from traffic
tickets and other infractions drop sharply: Speeding tickets alone
account for $6.2B in fines and forfeitures per year in the US, and
driverless vehicles aren’t likely to break the speed limit. It’s unclear
who would even get a ticket if an autonomous vehicle breaks a
traffic law: the car owner? The software maker?

On a practical level, there’s also the question of how police will

interact with autonomous vehicles. Will every officer have the
ability to forcibly disable a vehicle? Will they even need to? With
a connected network, every vehicle would theoretically know of
accidents, obstructions, and police/fire/rescue activities along
their routes and be rerouted accordingly. This type of on-the-
fly route changing could help reduce congestion, cutting down
response times for emergency personnel and saving lives.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 33

Fitness

Automated cars could turn commuting time into gym time, as

cars could be equipped with fitness equipment for riders to use
in transit. “A self-driving vehicle could definitely make a great
gym, because it’s rigid all over,” Marko Vujicic, an engineer and
partner at NPD Team, which consults with exercise equipment
manufacturers, told the New York Times. “That rigidity theoretically
allows you to use every plane of the car against which to apply
resistance. Your car becomes a full weight room on wheels.”

While it may take some time for driverless vehicles to be gym

equipment-ready, trainers have already started to formulate
workouts specifically designed to be completed in the front seat
of a driverless vehicle.

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Elder care & childcare

Autonomous vehicles could increase mobility for the elderly,

allowing them to remain socially engaged and active without
needing to drive. The need for human aides could be reduced, and
it might be easier for relatively healthy elderly people to stay in
their homes (as opposed to living in a care center) without relying
on a caretaker to drive them places.

This reality may not be as far off as you think. Eric Tanenblatt, a
public policy leader at Dentons, says, “It wouldn’t surprise me if in the
next 10 years, we see most major metropolitan areas having fleets
of autonomous vehicles traveling around their city where people call
them up on an app. It would be a game-changer for the elderly for
doctors’ appointments and other things like grocery delivery.”

Driverless cars could also impact childcare, automating pick-up

and drop-off for schools and daycares and providing a new means
of transportation for children and teens too young to drive.

Estimates suggest autonomous vehicles will alter the work of more

than 570,000 childcare workers and 1.4M personal care aides.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 35

Home improvement

65% of new homes that completed construction in 2019 had a

two-car garage, while only 7% of new homes had no garage or
carport. With automation promising to slash the need to personally
own a car, remodeling unneeded garage space could soon become
a thriving industry.

Homeowners could increasingly repurpose garage space to extend

their houses, boost their property value, or even create space
for renters or travelers using platforms like Airbnb. This will also
create opportunities for designers and contractors focused on
refurbishing garage space.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 36

Litigation

Driverless cars could alter the frequency and impact of car

accidents — and the litigation that follows them. Currently, 94-
96% of crashes can be tied back to human error: automation could
drastically reduce these accidents, which could lead to a decline
in related lawsuits. And when accidents do occur, connected cars
could provide more accurate data about accidents and who’s at
fault for a crash.

Driverless cars could also potentially shift liability from individual

drivers to the companies that manufacture and own fleets of
autonomous vehicles, which could decrease the demand for
private practice lawyers and force car companies to expand their
corporate legal departments.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 37

Military operations

In May 2018, US undersecretary of defense for research and

engineering Michael Griffin told lawmakers that the Pentagon will
benefit from driverless vehicles before the public does.

According to Griffin, more than half of casualties in combat zones

involve military personnel delivering fuel, food, and other supplies.
Military adoption of self-driving vehicles could remove personnel
from danger, reducing injuries and saving lives.

Many armed forces are already experimenting with driverless

tanks and pilotless aircraft.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 38

Global nonprofit work

For nonprofit and volunteer organizations working in remote or

under-resourced areas, driverless cars could provide a new means
of transporting supplies to people in need, without requiring a
driver (or the food, shelter, and other resources a driver would
need). In addition to bringing supplies like food, clothing, or
medical equipment, driverless cars could also be equipped with
satellite and cell services, bringing connectivity to remote regions
or to places where natural disasters, political upheaval, or other
crises have disrupted infrastructure.

Making supplies and connectivity more readily available in remote

areas could increase the efficacy of nonprofit organizations. This
could allow them to reallocate human volunteer hours away from
transportation tasks and toward other impactful work.

33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 39

Additional reading

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33 Industries Driverless Cars Will Transform 40