Where it’s alway taken us. Forward.
Pollution, reduced freedom to walk/bike, extra time having to work out as a result of those last two things (or simply reduced health), and, at an average income, total time lost to the car, including working to pay for it, for insurance, for gas, for maintenance, et c., being so high that it often results in a net loss of time versus foot-powered transportation (without even considering how much denser cities would be without cars), all conspire to create a world where many are pressured to own a car (life is harder without it, areas with good schools may be inaccessible without it, geographical distribution of jobs in cities may be inconvenient to put it mildly, and public transit has largely gone to hell, all because of the side-effects of widespread car ownership) but they actually lose out in terms of time-saved, and a number of other factors, compared with a world where car ownership was restricted.
Just setting technology loose, even with something as seemingly great as the automobile, isn't always a straightforward win for the average person.