Driverless cars will have significant impacts on real estate:
- Parking demand and costs are expected to decrease substantially as people are able to do other activities during their commute. This could lead to 800 million square feet of commercial space being freed up.
- Retail locations may spread out and new mixed-use residential/retail developments could emerge as commutes become easier. Rents could decrease in some dense retail areas.
- Residential property values may increase in suburban areas with more land availability and bigger houses, while downtown living becomes less necessary. Overall, lifestyles and real estate uses may shift significantly.