The Transition to autonomous cars, the redesign of cities and the future of urban sustainability

Question 1

Historical Perspective on the introduction of autonomous cars

Answer 1

initially large numbers of casualties for other new transport technologies of the past did not prevent their widespread usage (e.g., stagecoaches and the train)

moreover, car accidents are currently one of the greatest causes of death and yet cars are still universally used

Question 2

3 Factors to understand the transition to autonomous transport in cities

Answer 2

1. How Individuals Feel About Autonomous Cars
   - will directly influence the extent to which autonomous cars will be adopted
   - influenced by the plethora of interrelated Sociological, Psychological, Economic and Cultural Variables - age, education, income, significant others, lifestyle, interest in sustainability, etc.
2. Exact State of Technological Advancement
   - until basic technological issues of safety are fixed, autonomous cars are unlikely to become the dominant form of transport in cities
   - More advanced sensing technologies (e.g., for snow), accurate and up-to-date high-definition 3D maps of road networks, and greater connectivity among autonomous vehicles are all needed
3. Urban Politics:
   - urban history shows that the attitudes that people had toward new means of transport in the city were often less impactful than the interests of those who had political power

PAPER FOCUSES ON FIRST FACTOR

Question 3

Themes of the Study

Answer 3

1. Public concerns and worries about autonomous vehicles:
   - worries about equipment failure, risk of vehicle’s system being hacked, danger of car interact with other road users like pedestrians and cyclists
2. Participants’ interest in autonomous vehicles and their intention to use this new urban transport technology once available
3. People’s preferences for different modes of employment of autonomous vehicles:
   - sharing, ownership, public transport, ownership and sharing, sharing and public transport, ownership and public transport

Question 4

Worries about Safety and Security

Answer 4

many indicated worries about safety and security risks associated with autonomous vehicles (66% to 71%) - more females than males, similar results for different ages

Question 5

Probably or Definitely Interested in Fully Autonomous Vehicles

Answer 5

~60% of people were probably or definitely interested in fully autonomous vehicles

younger people were more interested in autonomous cars

Question 6

Intended to use Fully Autonomous Vehicles

Answer 6

~40% of people said they intended to use autonomous vehicles

49% in probably zone

Question 7

Scenarios for the Design of the Built Environment in the Context of Autonomous Cars

Answer 7

Scenario 1 - Optimistic, Sustainability-Promoting:

New transport technology is deployed via sharing services, decreasing car ownership and reducing the nr of cars in cities. Less cars would entail smaller roads and thus more space for bike lanes, urban gardens, etc., making cities greener, healthier and places to be rather than cars.

Scenario 2 - Pessimimstic, Unsustainability-Promoting:

People end up spending more time travelling daily due to prospect of more productive onboard acitivities. Increased demand for cars and thus more urban spaces and energy used for cars. Unsustainability enhanced.

Scenario 3 - Paper’s Scenario, Most Realistic:

NOT BLACK OR WHITE, AS ABOVE. A combination of different uses of the cars, influenced by people’s attitudes, technological advancements and urban politics. Interests of elites will likely be followed and pre-existing city development principles are likely to be continued. That is, cities that have traditionally invested in spaces for walking and cycling are will use autonomous vehicles to continue to do so, while local governments supporting automobile-oriented cities will use them in the opposite manner.

Question 8

Preferred Modes of Employment

Answer 8

preferences for single mode options such as ownership only, autonomous car-sharing only, and autonomous bus services only are low in the population

conversely, preferences for combined mode options are relatively higher (24% prefer ownership and sharing, 23% and 25% prefer for owning & public transport and sharing & public transport, respectively)

Question 9

Uncertainty and Political Power

Answer 9

large percentage of uncertain people shows potential influence of politics in what will actually happen in regards to autonomous vehicles

Question 10

Neoliberalism

Answer 10

economic and political ideology that emphasizes limited government intervention in markets, deregulation, privatization, and a focus on individual self-interest and competition as the driving forces of economic and social progress.

Question 11

Neoliberal States

Answer 11

often exploit human irrationality, by nudging the individual

individuals are still free to act, but their actions are (a) not fully based on knowledge and rationality, and (b) directed by nudges

how autonomous cars will be delpoyed will the product of an urban politics influenced more by market forces, rather than public opinion

When neoliberalism shapes the politics of urban transport, what follows is often a neoliberal mobility marked by inequality, privatisation, segregation, deregulation and uneven access

Question 12

Conclusion

Answer 12

to understand how autonomous cars can help cities become more sustainable, one must examine the mechanics of new transport technology, the attitudes of potential users and just as importantly, urban politics

the autonomous car is very much a political artefact

moreover, making autonomous transport technologies and the attitudes of their users more environmentally friendly and socially just, will not be enough unless the political environment does not change too