Parking Lots of the Near Future

Imagine a world where your car doesn’t sit idle for hours in a crowded parking lot. Instead, it drops you off at the front door, then drives itself to a more distant or less expensive lot—or maybe just keeps rolling, earning fares as a taxi for others until you need it again. In that case, why would we need so many parking lots right next to offices, theaters, or restaurants?

As technology pushes us toward self-driving vehicles, we could be on the verge of a parking revolution. Today, prime real estate is dedicated to storing our cars, often within mere steps of our destinations. But in a future of autonomous mobility, we may see:

1. Remote Parking: Self-driving cars could park five, ten, or even thirty minutes away, freeing up central areas for more productive or enjoyable uses.
2. Reduced Parking Demand: If vehicles can serve multiple passengers throughout the day, it drastically cuts down on the number of parking spaces needed at any one time.
3. Repurposed Space: Theaters, restaurants, shopping malls—do they really need massive lots if cars no longer need to sit still waiting for us? Converting these lots into parks, housing, or retail could bring new life (and profit) to urban environments.

This change also raises questions about city planning, property value, and the economics of real estate. If fewer parking structures are needed, we could house more people in the same amount of land—or maybe create more green spaces. In some cases, the rent or cost of living might decrease because that previously “wasted” land can be used for higher-value purposes.

All of this hinges on the fact that storage for cars—once a near-constant necessity—may soon be optional, if not obsolete. Want to know why it’s so critical we think about this now? Check out the related discussion in The Parking Lot Problem, where we explore just how much money and space are tied up in what appears to be a “free” resource.

It’s a big leap from the world we know today to a future where parking lots are few and far between. But if self-driving technology becomes truly widespread, the benefits—for our wallets, our cities, and perhaps our planet—could be immense. Let’s start envisioning how these changes might reshape our daily lives and the spaces we inhabit.