I’m not convinced. 80% of Americans live in cities. Certainly some of them do truly need cars but there must be some significant population that can get by without them.
For a sample size of one I don’t actually need one myself.
I don't typically need one myself, but I'm a software dev who lives close enough to downtown bike into work or take a 20 minute bus ride.
But this is a huge exception to what the rest of my life was like. If I lived in the burbs it would be very difficult to manage without a car.
I have to imagine a significant portion of the 80% you cited lives in the suburbs and are 30-60 minutes away from their jobs and 15-30 minutes away from grocery stores.
For a sample size of one I don’t actually need one myself.