Self-driving cars will change how we get around, which could mean using more energy
If self-driving cars take off, people might wind up taking more car trips, which could lead to Americans consuming more energy than if self-driving cars rarely leave the lot, according to a government report.
Today, transportation — including passenger vehicles, buses, and commercial trucks — accounts for about a third of energy use in the US, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). (It’s also the number one source of carbon emissions, YaleEnvironment360 reports.) By 2050, the EIA predicts that transportation will probably use less energy in the form of gasoline and electricity, thanks to cleaner and more efficient vehicles. But how much less? That depends, in part, on how popular self-driving cars become, according to...