Up until last week, some players believed that we’d be able to pick up and drive vehicles in Dying Light 2. In the only real gameplay demo we’ve had, which was shown years ago now, the mission shows the protagonist driving. However, this is the only instance of the character driving a vehicle, and it won’t be possible in the base game of Dying Light 2 at all. This feels slightly odd given that vehicles are a core part of at least half of the first game, but given the game world of Dying Light 2, it certainly seems to fit with the themes and narrative.
The world of Dying Light 2 is so far gone that everything from the modern-day is rare. This includes vehicles. I don’t see too many people having access to one. Those that do must be rich or dangerous or working for someone who is. It’s the same as the situation with firearms. Over time, vehicles will break down. Sure, you can fix them to a degree, but unless you have access to brand new parts, a vehicle can only be patched up so many times. Decades into the post-apocalypse, this means that vehicles are probably only going to be used to get through an area without anyone attacking you. You probably also won’t be driving for long, since fuel has much better uses than running a car.
Dying Light 2 sees people huddled together to survive. We’re not spread out across vast swathes of countryside. Everyone is inside the cities, using the rooftops to get away from the infected and create a living where, hopefully, no infected can reach them. It makes the world feel so much more believable. I do want to add that I think vehicles could be an interesting addition in a later update, as they were with Dying Light The Following.
Techland must have a plan for stuff they want to add in the future. They can’t put it all in the game at launch though. That’s why they’re waiting to see what the feedback on the game is once it’s out in our hands. Based on that, they’ll create DLC for years to come that will feed into what players are asking for. If vehicles are mentioned enough, they’ll probably be added somehow.