There are many different environments in the U.S. I grew up on an isolated farm in the midwest, where the nearest neighbors were miles away and the closest shopping some thirty miles. Access to cars gave me, compared to the horse era of my great-grandparents, access to wide swathes of urban culture, not to mention mind-expanding forays to locations in adjacent states beyond any alternative transportation. Without the auto, I would have lived a much more conscripted life, likely never leaving my home state for a life spent roaming around the world. The situation for the current generation in my home town has not changed at all.
On the other hand I lived more than a decade in sites in East Asia, including a long stint in Seoul, and never drove once. The public transportation there largely suffices to meet the needs of the majority of the population, although personal automobiles became increasingly popular in Korea from the 1990s. Within the confines of Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong or Singapore cars are absolutely less necessary, and I would be content not driving.
Different environments require varied means of transportation, and among them the personal automobile has its own valued place.