Self-driving shared cars can make mobility cheaper with far fewer cars if vehicles are used intensively and access replaces ownership. The potential lies in higher utilisation, fewer parked vehicles, lower material demand and more flexible transport for people who do not own a car.
In a climate and circular-mobility strategy, this remains a transition scenario rather than a simple technical fix. Shared autonomous mobility only works when it is linked to public transport, cycling, spatial planning and clean energy. Otherwise efficiency gains can be lost through extra kilometres and rebound effects.