The introduction of the family car in the 20th century led to unexpected consequences, including a rise in teenage pregnancies. The emergence of the driverless car in the 21st century also portends major changes in adolescent culture, ranging from the legal drinking age to patterns of school attendance.


Michael Petrilli, an award-winning writer and the president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education think tank based in Washington, DC., suggests that we haven't really given much thought to how auto-piloted cars will change the teen (and tween) years—especially since most adolescents are ready for independent mobility long before they are qualified to operate a car.

Writing in EducationNext, Petrilli contemplates the near future: