It has been a long time since Nikon (or anyone else) has released a new lens for the Nikon mount that didn't include an autofocus motor. The future is lenses with their own focus motors -- they're faster (in general), quieter and usually more accurate than body-driven AF lenses.

However, that doesn't do much about the existing inventory of lenses. If you want a wide-angle prime lens that costs less than a thousand dollars, you are looking at going off-brand or at the f/2.8 body-driven AF Nikkor "D" series. Sure, the newer, faster AF-S lenses are better in a lot of ways, but when faced with $400 versus $2000, you have to start asking yourself some serious questions. If there are slower AF-S lenses produced in the future, the motorless bodies will handle them well, but in the meantime you're stuck without an in-body motor. The AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 D is considerably cheaper than it's AF-S G equivalent (it's not just the motor; the optical design is different for bokeh-related reasons as well). And there are a lot of good, older body-driven lenses on the used market that have been superceded by models incorporating their own motors.

If the existing stock of body-driven lenses doesn't appeal to you, then you won't really need a body with an AF motor. There won't be a revival in that technology. But if you want to be able to use older or still-current body-driven lenses (and save a few bucks on glass), then the little screwdriver thing is important.