I wonder if people who say things like this are actually drivers, because every driver I know has a car full of random stuff that lives permanently in it incase it’s needed. No one is going to carry all that with them; if they did it wouldn’t live in the car in the first place! Ownership isn’t going anywhere, or taxis would already have killed private ownership (and hotels would have killed the housing market...)
Taxis have killed ownership in places where taxis are more convenient than car ownership. As ride sharing becomes more ubiquitous—especially as self driving vehicles move into the space—that's going to become a reality in more and more locations.
Do I need to keep all that in my car? Probably not and maybe I wouldn't if I lived in a city and just needed a car for basic transport now and then. But it's convenient and it describes how pretty much everyone I know uses their car--especially if they have kids.
And, as I said elsewhere, I actually expect self-driving will tend to cause people to spread out more and create even more incentive to make cars a customized self-contained work and entertainment space.
Added: More transportation options definitely make a difference at the margins, whether it's a second family car or dropping an infrequently used automobile in the city. I know a couple in SF who don't own a car but depend heavily on a combination of biking, short-term car rentals, regular rentals, and Uber/Lyft. Pre-Zipcar and Uber/Lyft I'm guessing they'd still have a car. On the other hand, I live in a semi-rural area and I'm going to own a car pretty much no matter what other options you introduce.
They just don't carry them. If it starts raining and you didn't bring an umbrella then oh well, you get wet.
Besides lunch of course, because we're not savages. We enjoy our lunch sitting down at a restaurant. ;)
- mess cleanup (paper towels, wipes, windex)
- small tool kit (leatherman, couple wrenches, battery post brush, duct tape)
I think there’s more but that’s off the top of my head.
Note for example Amazon, which didn't turn a profit for years, had extremely good unit economics and invested in growth.
Unit economics always matter, at least after a certain point (and an IPO would definitely be that point).
> Ownership as we know it will become meaningless.
Do you really want to rent everything instead of owning it and pay everyone for their work rather than doing it yourself?
Certainly there are many people that prefer to own condos/cars/phones/books.