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Competing for consumers as
in driverless cars
Once drivers become passengers, a new
“fifth-screen” economy will flourish, focused
on the in-car experience.
by Felix Kuhnert
I
f someday you no longer need to drive when you’re in your car, what will
you do instead? Com fort, convenience, and entertain ment already matter
to drivers. But when drivers become passengers, these aspects of the in-car
experience — centered on a new screen built into vehicles that will also
enable more productivity — will matter even more and will create a vibrant
“fifth-screen” economy.
As driverless cars start to coexist with traditional ones and dominate in a few
specific markets, carmakers will need to prioritize these in-car experiences to be
able to compete for consumers.
In many parts of the world, driverless cars won’t make sense anytime soon.
A robotaxi fleet won’t be economical in sparsely populated rural areas. Electric
cars, which most autonomous fleets will rely on, don’t have the range to serve
sprawling metropolises such as Los Angeles or São Paulo. Even in regions where
the technology and economics offer real benefits, politics and consumer prefer-
ences may stunt the proliferation of driverless cars.
But in some parts of the world —
especially in densely populated cities
with low car ownership and forward-
thinking governments — technology,
economics, political will, and consumer
preferences should combine to drive
adoption. Research by Strategy&, PwC’s
global strategy consulting business, esti-
Illu mates that by 2030, 42 percent of vehicle
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