Autonomous Tech: Why Skip Buying a New Car Now

Dive into the transformative impact of autonomous vehicles on everyday transportation, revealing cost savings and market disruptions that could save you thousands.

Key Takeaways

• Robotaxis promise rides at 25-30 cents per mile, undercutting the 70-80 cents average for owning a car.

• Urban areas may see used car values plummet 80% in 4 years as demand for ownership fades.

• Leasing shifts depreciation risk to lenders, making it a safer short-term option.

• Investing purchase funds in AI firms could yield 15% annual growth, turning $40K into $80K.

• Rural or specialized needs still justify buying, but metro commuters should delay.

Autonomous driving tech is advancing rapidly, with approvals in key states enabling unsupervised operation. This flips the script on car ownership: why tie up capital in a vehicle idle 95% of the time when on-demand robotaxis offer cheap, hassle-free trips without insurance or maintenance burdens? In major cities, expect a flood of these services by 2027, evaporating demand for new and used cars. Traditional ownership costs stack up poorly—factoring in payments, fuel, and upkeep—against projected robotaxi efficiencies. For those in suburbs or cities, alternatives like rideshares or public transit bridge the gap, freeing funds for appreciating assets in AI and robotics. Watch markets like Austin for early signs of price drops as adoption scales.