Sustainable Associate
Self driving cars are coming. It’s not a question of if but
when. Google has recently unveiled its latest self driving machine which will soon be hitting
public roads for testing .
It is theorized that these self-driving cars will be far safer than human
operated cars as they are able to constantly survey their surroundings and are
programed to take less risks than a person might. What if the introduction of
self-driving cars could reduce the 1.3 million deaths from car crashes each year – most of which are largely due to human error. In addition, self-driving
cars could also create huge advances in efficiency by communicating with each
other on the road. The benefits seem overwhelmingly positive. But what will this mean for our cities?
Public car pools
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| Googles Latest Self Driving Car Prototype via Google |
Instead, whenever you would need to get around you would simply summon a car from the public pool, probably with your smartphone, and then be taken to your destination. This ‘ride share’ system could be run by private companies or by municipalities. This scenario would not only be more efficient than today’s private car model, but would be much more cost effective. Socially, this could mean more equal access to transportation regardless of wealth, ability, or age. This is also a huge win for the environment as only a fraction of cars would need to be manufactured.
Fewer parking lots, more parks
The urban environment we have built is largely based off of
our love affair with the car. The infrastructure that cars require for parking
and driving has shaped our cities. So what will self-driving cars and the
likely outcome of car pools impact this infrastructure? Simply put, we would
have a lot more space. Without the need for so many parking lots and parking
garages per capita, imagine what we could design. Former parking areas would
create new infill opportunities within
our current city boundaries, helping to rein in urban sprawl. We could create
more walkable neighborhoods or reintroduce natural areas in the hearts of our
cities. The amount of impervious area in our built environment could be cut
down drastically, allowing for better handling of storm water and urban runoff.
The safety and efficiency of self-driving cars could allow cities to reduce the
number of lanes on roads, which could be reclaimed for green areas, expanded
sidewalks, or bike lanes. Self-driving
cars would make it much safer to ride a bike or walk near roadways by reducing collisions.
This could create new bike and pedestrian networks allowing people to live
healthier lifestyles.
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| Space once used for parking and road lanes could become urban gathering places, much like Denver's 16th St. Mall. |
In all likelihood, self driving cars are the future. This
future presents many opportunities for us to strengthen our cities
economically, socially and environmentally. In order to insure success, we need
to begin imagining a new transportation system and a vision for our cities.
Through innovative design and smart planning we’ll be able to create truly
sustainable places in our transition to a more automated world.
