The auto industry appears to be on the cusp of revolutionary change, set forth by the advent of autonomous or self-driving vehicles and the timing may be soon according to a new report unveiled by KPMG LLP.

The report, titled Self-Driving Car: The Next Revolution, examines a variety of topics, including the forces of change, the current and emerging technologies, the path to bring these innovations to market, the likelihood that they will achieve wide adoption from consumers, and their potential impact on the automotive ecosystem.

For the past 100 years, the automotive industry has been a force for innovation and economic growth, said Gary Silberg, national automotive industry leader for KPMG LLP and co-author of the report.  Now the pace of innovation is speeding up and the industry is on the brink of a new technological revolution with self-driving vehicles. If they become a mainstream reality, it would be profoundly disruptive to the automotive ecosystem and may have far-reaching implications for the traditional automotive value chain and beyond.

The report suggests that new technology could provide solutions to problems like the high cost of traffic crashes and transportation infrastructure, traffic jams, and the wasted urban space used on parking lots.