Technology
Majority of American Drivers ‘Afraid’ of ‘Self-Driving’ Cars
Responses to a AAA survey indicate a rising fear of automated vehicles in the wake of high-profile crashes and federal investigations.
A Chatbot Talks Regeneration and Recovery for Seattle
In his recent analysis of trends to watch for 2023, Managing Editor James Brasuell noted how ChatGPT might replace all the writers of Planetizen, and more. Chuck Wolfe decided to take literally Brasuell's “don't let it sneak up on you” admonition.
Resilience Matters: Collective Action For Healthier Communities
The Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP) has published a new, free "Resilience Matters" e-book that contains fascinating articles, op-eds, and interviews that provide practical guidance for collective action to build a fairer, greener future.
How Much Will That Infrastructure Really Cost?
A new tool developed in British Columbia calculates the cost of infrastructure over the entire life cycle of the project.
Planning Trends to Watch in 2023
The days and weeks since the arrival of Covid-19 have been filled with so much noise about the future, it’s been difficult to distinguish between big stories and frivolous distractions. Planetizen is here to help.
Recall Affects Over 360,000 Tesla Cars with ‘Full Self-Driving’ Software
Federal regulators are asking the carmaker to update the software on vehicles equipped with FSD due to its poor safety record.
Virginia Ties Clean Car Standards to California
The last obstacle to a 2021 bill linking Virginia’s emissions standards to California policy was defeated on a party-line vote in the state’s legislature, paving the way for a shift to electric vehicles.
How L.A. County is Ensuring Data-Informed, Equity-Driven Implementation of the American Rescue Plan
Los Angeles County has developed a series of tools to democratize data on communities most impacted by COVID-19 and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act programs and services developed to serve them.
The Importance of Good Data Visualization
When done right, data visualization effectively translates complex data into easily understood visuals in the form of graphs, charts, maps, plots, animations, and more.
San Francisco Officials Detail Self-Driving Car ‘Mayhem’ in Letter to State
In the worst version of the autonomous future, San Francisco firefighters have to fight off a self-driving car that crashed into their equipment during a fire, prompting calls for stricter regulations.
Lyft Shifting to Docked E-Scooters
After failing to deliver on promises of frictionless, free shared mobility, the operator will begin docking its scooters at stations to reduce sidewalk obstructions and eliminate the need to collect scooters for recharging.
How Autonomous Cars Could Impact Energy Use
The complex algorithms used by self-driving vehicle technology use massive amounts of energy, which could lead to a steep rise in carbon emissions as autonomous cars become more commonplace.
Is an Algorithm Driving Up New York City Rents?
While landlords and boosters are touting a ‘flood’ of returning residents to the city as the reason behind rising housing costs, one New Yorker doesn’t buy it.
SEPTA To Install Arrival Clocks
The digital displays will finally let riders know when the next train is coming.
Critiquing an AI-Generated Architecture Critic
Artificial intelligence is being used to generate all kinds of content. Can it successfully replace architecture critics, or does understanding place require physical presence?
New York Speed Limiting Pilot Shows Promising Results
City vehicles equipped with speed limiting technology showed nearly complete compliance with speed limit laws and a significant reduction in hard-braking events.
Using Cellphone Data to Understand Park Use
A new University of Toronto study analyzes anonymous GPS data from smartphones to track how people use and interact with green spaces.
Advancing Equity with Census Data
The U.S. Census Bureau offers a variety of data and tools that can be used by policy-makers and the public to better understand underserved communities and advance equity.
The Importance of Cooling Centers
A new UCLA study examines how formal and informal cooling centers are being used in Los Angeles County.
Electric Car Batteries Spark Weight Concerns
A federal transportation official is warning that electric vehicle batteries, which can weigh thousands of pounds and make cars much heavier than their gas-powered counterparts.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.
