The car was the ticket to freedom in the 20th century, transforming America as millions flocked to the suburbs and needed a vehicle to shuttle them to work, school and everything in between. AmericaβDetroit in particularβregarded its cars as an extension and reflection of itself.
But as the country has proved time and again, Americans can change their habits in what seems like the blink of an eye. In the wake of a disastrous recession and the advent of the mobile Web, people are reconsidering how and where they want to live. A car-free life once seemed ludicrous if you didnβt live in one of the countryβs biggest metropolises, but a movement is brewing among cyclists, public transportation devotees and auto upstarts like Tesla and Uber. They are declaring their independence from the automobile industry, and their ranks are growing with converts who want to revolutionize transportation in America once again.
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