Will Self-Driving Cars Boost the Auto Repair Industry?

This article was originally published on AftermarketNews.com.

While there’s some debate about when self-driving cars will become commonplace – and precisely how they’ll be used by consumers – it’s fair to say that self-driving vehicles are coming. When they arrive, they will likely cause changes across society.

Google’s Self-Driving Electric Car. Photo credit: Wikimedia

When it comes to changes in the auto repair industry, there’s reason to believe that self-driving cars will lead to overall growth. Here’s why:

1. More Vehicles On The Road

If the most optimistic projections for self-driving cars are correct, the cost of operating a self-driving car will be even lower than the cost of vehicle ownership today. If that’s the case, it’s likely that we’ll see an overall increase in the number of vehicles on the road. This is called “the Jevons effect,” and it’s been seen in history numerous times.

Essentially, the Jevons effect is that consumption increases as prices decrease. If using a vehicle becomes less expensive, people will use their vehicle more often…which would probably mean more vehicles on the road (and in the repair shop).

2. More Annual Miles Driven

If consumers can spend their time in a self-driving vehicle reading, sleeping, working, watching a movie, etc., why wouldn’t they use it for long trips? Instead of dealing with a commercial flight, consumers can get in their self-driving vehicle, enter a destination, and then read a book. It might take a few more hours to drive than it would to fly, but that’s not a big loss if that ‘extra’ travel time can be spent productively.

Not to mention, when you arrive at your destination, you have your vehicle (with all your stuff) at your disposal. No more messing around with airports, rental cars, etc.

Google has been testing self-driving cars for years. Photo Credit: Autoweek.com

Self-Driving Vehicles Will Be Good For Repair Shops

If self-driving vehicles are convenient, safe, and affordable, that can only be good news for the repair industry. Consumers will drive more vehicles more often, leading to more maintenance and repair work. Here’s to our self-driving future!