For export, other countries could require a "dumb" car, to which domestic companies could add the intelligence.

Anyway, the point is that in the future you cannot own things. Whether that is because of the small market or because of other reasons, that does not matter.

there isn't a market for barebones for the sake of privacy, but there is a market apparently for 'barebones for the sake of value', which is what the whole Slate truck thing is attacking.

I'm sure a chinese EV group could key in on the same pure-value market if there isn't a group already doing that. 'Golf carts for the street.'