The impending arrival of automated vehicles in cities worldwide has sparked interesting conversations about the impact these can have. Will AV clear our roads from unnecessary traffic? Can they encourage car sharing? For our industry, the most important question is will AV destroy the industry as we know it?
While there are numerous articles to read about this topic, a recent opinion piece in the New York Times presented a very interesting and enlightening stand on the topic of automated vehicles. Allison Arieff presents a few of the promises of AV and a solution to the problems of urban planning.
One of the promises is that AV will alleviate traffic and congestion. However, Arieff states that a car takes up just as much space regardless of whether it is autonomous or not. She also mentions the reduction of parking, less pollution and promoting car sharing all with counter-arguments as to why these are false promises.
But the biggest takeaway from this opinion piece is the conclusion. Cities and roads should be planned for people rather than cars. Cars are just one way to get to a destination, and if we focus on the movement of people, we can improve mobility in general.
To read the full article, click on this link.
What are your thoughts on AV? How do you expect these will change our cities?
