Most of us realize that the self-driving car, long promised as one of the future benefits of a high-tech wired (and wireless) world, is now firmly a part of our present. Spurred on by newcomers Tesla and Google, large car manufacturers nearly all have prototypes in the works.

Of course, the process of turning the automobile into a true auto-mobile has been going on since its invention. Crank handles were soon replaced with electric starters. General Motors introduced its iconic Hydromatic transmission on Oldsmobile models back in 1940, eliminating the need for the manual clutch and gearshift.

Other “automatic” innovations and conveniences were introduced over the decades. But none replaced the part played by the driver in operating the machine. Until now. In just a few years, the driver may become the only option not listed on the sticker of a brand new car.

Even the newest innovations found on cars today pale in complexity compared to the systems required for a self-driving car. These cars will do it all, from negotiating intersections crowded with pedestrians to finding their own place to park. And of course, they promise to replace the daily drudge of a commute with a quicker, much safer jaunt We should embrace that promise.

But we should also be ready to grasp that the stress and expense of owning a car of the future may well reside at the repair shop.

One local shop owner applauds the safety in self-driving technology, but said he dreads the coming complexity. People do not understand how important repair and maintenance is going to be on all the systems that will make self-driving a reality. Some new cars already rely on as many as 60 or even 80 computer modules to keep them operating properly, and he pays thousands of dollars for the diagnostic equipment he needs and for the continuous software updates required. That is important to note, because the technology involved with a self-driving car may be exponentially more complex.

While technology differs depending on the manufacturer, self-drivers will rely on cameras, radar, even lasers and all manner of sensors and encoders. As has been noted in several tech journals and websites, the self-driving car will run more lines of computer code than a new airliner.

Due to the growing complexity of current cars, he said, his labor rates will likely double in the next year or two. Imagine the training and tools his crew will need to work on a variety of self-driving cars. Especially when all the equipment will need to be in good repair. For example, if the rear-view camera on your new SUV us not working, you can still drive the car. But if the same camera is out on a self-driver, you may be moments away from hitting a pedestrian.

It’s enough to make one ponder whether a self-driving car will ever be practical in Southwest Colorado. Or ever truly safe on our roads. Telling an automated car to drive between Bloomfield and Bernalillo is one thing. But heading north over Red Mountain Pass may be just as hair-raising in the year 2030 as it can be in 2016.

Besides, what will we read while waiting in the shop for those repairs to be completed, with magazines like Car and Driver having gone the way of chrome bumpers and drum brakes?