Self-driving cars are coming and there's nothing anyone can do to stop them. Their time is now. The technology is being created at this very moment. In some ways, they will be a great boon. Those who cannot drive will be able to own them, and still get to the places they need to go, such as stores and banks, although self-driving vehicles may make going to those places less essential. Say an old woman needs to go to the hospital, but is not in an emergency situation. She can just tell her self-drive car to take her there, and then take her home. No need to depend on a relative or a stranger. Hence, greater independence for her. On the other hand, self-drive cars will, by their very nature, be tracked everywhere they go. They will be part of the grid of moving vehicles in a city. Each car needs to be aware of all the other cars around it to avoid running into them, and to coordinate traffic, which will become much more efficient. It will be impossible to go somewhere in your car, and not have the authorities know where you have gone. Criminals won't like this. Neither will honest citizens whose opinions differ from those of the government.