I think it is silly to think self driving cars gets rid of parking. If you don't use a car much it is cheaper to use a taxi service. However people who use a car often will be money ahead owning their own. Plus if you own the car you can keep your "junk" in it while doing something else. Most cars are needed during rush hour, so there isn't much need for cars the rest of the day.
All of which means we need nearly as much parking in the future. Sure we save a little because the car will leave your immediate area (read CO2 and other emissions) for free parking out of sight, but they are still parked. You will want it parked somewhat close to you because you never know when you will have a family emergency and have to leave early.
On a tangent, I wonder how many car manufacturers would actually sell a self-driving car if they were able to build one. Creating a taxi fleet and charging for usage seems much more profitable.
Or at the very least, the price would go up a lot. Who cares about the cost, when the value of the sold good is so high? Why sell it cheap? I note that Waymo has no intention of selling the things.
Most of them. Car manufacturers aren't too greatly in vertical integration. One could argue that having a car rental agency for manufacturer would be great idea. Get cars at cost, rent them short to medium term, keep maintenance inhouse sell them after some period for most of the price.
But I don't think there is any manufacturers that rent vehicles for short term and neither there are any rental firms that manufacture their cars...
In the end making things and renting them is different businesses.
The economics don't work. Some people are willing to pay extra for a car in perfect condition. Some people will happily save money by using a beat up car. By selling a car they get their money now from a high priced car. If they try to be the taxi they need to figure out who will demand (and pay for) the perfect car, vs who will demand the cheapest car. This is one more way that cars are not interchangeable.
This is actually the thing I am most excited about with the prospect of self-driving, the biggest way car-centric infrastructure ruins cities is by parking requirements.
Unfortunately most cities in the USA have parking minimums so even if a market change occurs and they are all empty the lots will stick around for a while until they are no longer legally required.
