In recent years, technology companies and vehicle manufacturers have poured billions of dollars into the development of autonomous or self-driving vehicles, with mixed results. In a few cities, residents can use their smartphone to hail an AV for a ride within a limited geographic area. Exactly when these vehicles will become truly autonomous, capable of operating on any roadway no matter what the weather conditions, is an open debate.
Nonetheless, these early attempts at AVs reveal the pressing need to think about what kind of transportation system we want in the future. The choices we make in the coming years are not trivial and will shape our communities for decades to come.
Unfortunately, recent research on connected and autonomous vehicles indicates that we are headed down a path that deepens our dependence on cars at the expense of sustainable, affordable and equitable alternatives such as public transportation, biking and walking.
The above excerpt was originally published in Route Fifty.
Click here to view the full article.