I keep hearing how ride-sharing, autonomous vehicles and technology will one day kill consumers' desire to own a car, thus altering car dealership operations forever.
Yeah, right. This is America, the land of love for the open road, high horsepower and polished chrome.
But a recent conversation with my cousin has prompted me to rethink my smug view.
My cousin enjoys boating, but he does not want the hassle and expense of ownership. So he joined a yacht club where, for a monthly fee, he selects one of several boats to use for a certain amount of time. It's a subscription service of sorts.
When I told him there are those in the auto industry who envision similar programs for cars instead of boats, his eyes lit up.
"I would love that!" he said, intrigued by the option of having access to such variety and not being locked into one car until his lease expired or he had positive equity.
The prevailing auto retail model rests on the premise that most people want to own a car. But that's changing based on people's needs and technological advancements. In fact, car ownership may become mostly obsolete someday.