Self driving cars could encourage sprawl by making commuting long distances more practical. If you could be working during your commute instead of driving, and didn't need to find parking once you arrive, a 2-hour commute could become practical. That would intensify the "car culture" that currently drives municipal planning, but would reduce the harmful effects. As you mention, less space wasted on parking, less congestion etc.
On the other hand, driverless cars will be a big boost for Uber, Lyft, Zipcar, GetAround and the like. That could make city living more desirable, because car-on-demand only works well when there are lots of available cars nearby. Folks that live out in the boonies would still have to own their own cars, and so wouldn't benefit as much from the technology as city-dwellers. Also, spending less space on parking has a bigger effect in the city where space is already tight, so we might see even higher density in the inner city.
I think that's about right. To your "on the other hand" though, I'm inclined to think that where density is already high, robo-driving doesn't change the equation of car + $10-20/hr driver all that much. (Especially given that some of those costs--cleaning, etc.--have to be shifted to a non-driver.) Therefore, I expect easier driving = more driving (which is more or less basic economics.)
Some no frills car sharing companies make their users clean the car. And if you get a dirty car you can order a new one and the previous driver gets billed. And small one person Robo cars could also be build much simpler and cheaper.
Sure. My basic point though is that, given high utilization, $15/hour doesn't really change the economics of ordering a car on demand though. It still makes sense in the cities where it already makes sense unless services like Uber are already being blocked for regulatory reasons.
Cities where Uber and the like are being blocked with oppose robo-cars even more vigorously. Like the revolts against steam engines and factories we read about. Uber-opposition will seem like a practice exercise.
Self driving cars could encourage sprawl by making commuting long distances more practical. If you could be working during your commute instead of driving, and didn't need to find parking once you arrive, a 2-hour commute could become practical. That would intensify the "car culture" that currently drives municipal planning, but would reduce the harmful effects. As you mention, less space wasted on parking, less congestion etc.
On the other hand, driverless cars will be a big boost for Uber, Lyft, Zipcar, GetAround and the like. That could make city living more desirable, because car-on-demand only works well when there are lots of available cars nearby. Folks that live out in the boonies would still have to own their own cars, and so wouldn't benefit as much from the technology as city-dwellers. Also, spending less space on parking has a bigger effect in the city where space is already tight, so we might see even higher density in the inner city.