The answer is complicated, and one that can’t be pinned down to any single factor, but the answer is probably simple: a need.
The answer to that question is “because it’s cheaper than a car,” according to Paul B. Bowers, a transportation economist and author of “The New Economic Thinking: The Next Generation of Business and Policy.”
That means people will drive less, but more importantly, they’ll be willing to drive less to make sure that their cars don’t go over their heads.
“That’s a big deal,” Bowers says.
And he sees it as a boon to the economy and, ultimately, the environment.
“The economy is in a terrible shape because of cars,” he says.
Bower says we are on track to hit the peak of the peak in car miles traveled, and he sees this as an opportunity to make the transition to a sustainable economy.
Batteries included: Bower’s book, titled “The Next Generation, Economic and Environmental: The Case for Automation and Climate-Resilient Transportation,” will be released on March 8.
But he says it will be a book that is far from a definitive look at the future.
“It’s not about climate change, it’s not a macroeconomic prediction, it is not a policy analysis.
I think it is a great way to think about the future,” Bower said.
But Bowers also sees this book as a step in the right direction.
“I think we need to start talking about the social implications of this shift and start thinking about how it will affect our economic, social and environmental lives,” he said.
Boudreaux is the co-founder of Sustainable Future.
She says the future is bright for sustainable transportation.
“What we need is a shift to the smart transportation technologies that are out there,” Boudres says.
That includes autonomous cars, ride sharing, self-driving cars, electric vehicles and electric trucks.
She believes that while cars are no longer the way to go, the future looks bright for the kind of transportation systems that can deliver sustainable energy and transportation to cities and towns.
“People are going to be moving from cars to smart transportation,” she said.
“You’ll see these things evolve from autonomous vehicles to electric vehicles to self-driven vehicles.”
She says autonomous vehicles will be cheaper than cars, but will also deliver far better services.
She also sees a lot of promise in the future for transportation technology.
“When I look at smart transportation, the first thing I see is that we need a whole new generation of transportation that has no limits,” Broussard says.
“We need smart transportation that can drive from Point A to Point B in a short amount of time.”