The long-awaited "Taxi of Tomorrow", which was specifically designed for use in New York City by Nissan, got a workout on the city's streets this week in advance of the fleet's arrival in October.
"Nissan was offering rides, not drives, in its NV200 taxi, which still showed a few signs of being a work in progress," writes Jim Motavalli. "Only one of the rear passenger doors had a sliding window (which rattled when open), and some finishing touches had not yet been completed."
"In a 15-minute ride in the van, some of the taxi’s advantages were apparent. It had limousine-grade legroom, a big roof window to help passengers see the city and separate climate controls for passengers. A handy step emerged when either sliding door was opened. The cabin featured a full-length divider window incorporating a pass-through for payments, as well as a natural-sounding intercom system similar to those in London cabs. The passenger compartment had cup holders, as well as USB ports for recharging cellphones and other devices."
FULL STORY: A Ride Around Manhattan in the Taxi of Tomorrow

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie