| he costs of automobile usage, which may include the | | | | hybrid vehicles) and the development of alternative |
| cost of: acquiring the vehicle, repairs, maintenance, fuel, | | | | fuels. High fuel taxes may provide a strong incentive |
| depreciation, parking fees, tire replacement, taxes and | | | | for consumers to purchase lighter, smaller, more |
| insurance,[30] are weighed against the cost of the | | | | fuel-efficient cars, or to not drive. On average, today's |
| alternatives, and the value of the benefits - perceived | | | | automobiles are about 75 percent recyclable, and using |
| and real - of vehicle usage. The benefits may include | | | | recycled steel helps reduce energy use and |
| on-demand transportation, mobility, independence and | | | | pollution.[35] In the United States Congress, federally |
| convenience.[7]free articles directory Main article: | | | | mandated fuel efficiency standards have been |
| Effects of the automobile on societies | | | | debated regularly, passenger car standards have not |
| Similarly the costs to society of encompassing | | | | risen above the 27.5 miles per US gallon (8.55 L |
| automobile use, which may include those of: maintaining | | | | 100 km; 33.0 mpg-imp) standard set in 1985. Light |
| roads, land use, pollution, public health, health care, and | | | | truck standards have changed more frequently, and |
| of disposing of the vehicle at the end of its life,free | | | | were set at 22.2 miles per US gallon (10.6 L/100 km; |
| articles directorycan be balanced against the value of | | | | 26.7 mpg-imp) in 2007.[36] Alternative fuel vehicles |
| the benefits to society that automobile use generates. | | | | are another option that is less polluting than |
| The societal benefits may include: economy benefits, | | | | conventional petroleum powered vehicles. |
| such as job and wealth creation, of automobile | | | | Other negative effects |
| production and maintenance, transportation provision, | | | | Residents of low-density, residential-only sprawling |
| society wellbeing derived from leisure and travel | | | | communities are also more likely to die in car |
| opportunities, and revenue generation from the tax | | | | collisions[original research?] which kill 1.2 million people |
| opportunities. The ability for humans to move flexibly | | | | worldwide each year, and injure about forty times this |
| from place to place has far reaching implications for | | | | number.[25] Sprawl is more broadly a factor in |
| the nature of societies.[31]free articles directory | | | | inactivity and obesity, which in turn can lead to |
| Environmental impact | | | | increased risk of a variety of diseases.[37] |
| The examples and perspective in this section may not | | | | Driverless cars |
| represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please | | | | Main article: Driverless car |
| improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk | | | | Fully autonomous vehicles, also known as robotic cars, |
| page. Further information: Global warming | | | | or driverless cars, already exist in prototype, and are |
| Transportation is a major contributor to air pollution in | | | | expected to be commercially available around 2020. |
| most industrialised nations. According to the American | | | | According to urban designer and futurist Michael E. |
| Surface Transportation Policy Project nearly half of all | | | | Arth, driverless electric vehicles—in conjunction with |
| Americans are breathing unhealthy air. Their study | | | | the increased use of virtual reality for work, travel, and |
| showed air quality in dozens of metropolitan areas has | | | | pleasure—could reduce the world's 800,000,000 |
| got worse over the last decade.[32] In the United | | | | vehicles to a fraction of that number within a few |
| States the average passenger car emits 11,450 lbs (5 | | | | decades.[38] This would be possible if almost all private |
| tonnes) of carbon dioxide, along with smaller amounts | | | | cars requiring drivers, which are not in use and parked |
| of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen.[33] | | | | 90% of the time, would be traded for public self-driving |
| Animals and plants are often negatively impacted by | | | | taxis that would be in near constant use. This would |
| automobiles via habitat destruction and pollution. Over | | | | also allow for getting the appropriate vehicle for the |
| the lifetime of the average automobile the "loss of | | | | particular need—a bus could come for a group of |
| habitat potential" may be over 50,000 square meters | | | | people, a limousine could come for a special night out, |
| (538,195 square feet) based on Primary production | | | | and a Segway could come for a short trip down the |
| correlations.[34] | | | | street for one person. Children could be chauffeured in |
| Fuel taxes may act as an incentive for the production | | | | supervised safety, DUIs would no longer exist, and |
| of more efficient, hence less polluting, car designs (e.g. | | | | 41,000 lives could be saved each year in the U.S. alone. |