Mate Rimac, the Croatian Elon Musk (with fewer tweets and more actual prototypes), is shaking up the automotive world again. His prediction: the car of the future will be a luxury, reserved for romantic nostalgic souls who still dream of the smell of gasoline and the screeching of tires. Most will simply click on the app and take a ride in a robotaxi – without the hassle, without the fines and without the eternal question: “Where the hell did I park?”
Mate Rimac, the man who launched the Nevera into the stars of electric supercars and helped Bugatti give birth to the hybrid Tourbillon, doesn't follow trends - he dictates them. In an interview with Autoblog.com predicted a future where owning a car would be a rarity, almost as exotic as owning a horse today. And let's face it, anyone who dreams of a stable in their garage today is a bit of a special breed.
We've written many times about how technology is changing our relationship with cars - from a status symbol to a banal means of transportation. Now Rimac is adding a new layer to this: a future without a steering wheel in your hands.
Autonomous driving: Holy Grail or the end of romance?
Mate Rimac is convinced that autonomous driving is the “holy grail” of the industry. And no, he’s not talking about half-baked systems that only drive until a deer appears on the road – and then you’re the one who ends up with the bill and a penalty point.
His vision is clear: robotaxis like his project Faithful, will drive safer and more reliably. No drunk drivers, no texting while driving, and no hysterical honking. They may even be friendlier than the average taxi driver at two in the morning. But where there is safety, there is less romance: driving around corners with a manual transmission becomes a relic for enthusiasts, a kind of analog vinyl in a digital world.
Car ownership: the horse of the 21st century
The comparison with owning a horse is almost painfully accurate. A century ago, everyone had one, today only enthusiasts have one. Rimac predicts that it will be similar with cars. The majority will choose the convenience of the app, while a minority will still cherish their steel love in the garage.
This isn't just a futuristic fantasy. Uber, Lyft, and related platforms have already transformed our mobility. But Rimac is looking beyond: not at ride-sharing, but at a complete redefinition of the car – as a service, not as an extension of the ego.
Infidelity, Tourbillon and the Art of Adaptation
Rimac is not only a futurist, but also a pragmatist. The incredulity is proof that electric supercars don't have to be boring. But while everyone was blindly racing towards the 100 % electric, he proposed a hybrid for Bugatti - and hit the nail on the head. The Tourbillon has become synonymous with how tradition and the future can dance to the same rhythm.
His motto is simple: adapt or perish. And that's where Rimac's strength lies – he can see the next wave before the previous one even hits the shore.
To drive or to be driven?
Mate Rimac envisions a world where driving is a choice, not a necessity. Robotaxis and autonomous technology will bring convenience, but also a new question: are we ready to hand over the steering wheel – that last symbol of control and freedom?
Cars will not disappear. They will remain – but as a valuable hobby for those who still find poetry in driving. That is the charm of Rimec's vision: a future for the practical and at the same time a place for the romantic.
And now the ball is flying to you, reader: will you just keep tapping on the app in the future, or will you still be looking for happiness in the corners?
