* Car payment * Insurance payment * Maintenance costs * Parking costs * Possible tolls * Repairs * Possibly roadside assistance * Property tax (in some jurisdictions)
These are all costs of ownership. For people who own very cheap cars, or who can afford to pay cash for cars, it may be costly, but for many others, it may, in fact, streamline quite a few costs that they're already absorbing and managing.
I fear the world is already going this way. As a person approaching 30, most of my peers who did not stumble into lucrative tech careers are not doing well. Student debts still not paid off, working crappy paid jobs full time to rent cheap apartments, savings barely appearing let alone down payments for nice housing.
It doesn't surprise me to see the corporations lean into "services" and subscriptions; they are a great resource extractor
This is literally the "dream" of many - see the World Economic Forum's predictions about the future. It's a great dream for those doing the renting of stuff, and a nightmare for everyone else.
Don’t like it‽ Take the publicly funded option: the bus!