Brad Templeton, chairman of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, hopes that robot-driven cars will become commonplace on our roads in the next decade or two.
Templeton classifies these cars of the future into two types: "Whistle Cars – Self-driving cars that can ferry themselves to drivers in need of a car at low, safe speeds. Smaller cars will be more viable, as customers will be able to order up a car that fits their needs for that day, rather than bigger vehicles that may be needed across its entire lifecycle. After a whistlecar putters autonomously to its destination, the person renting the car takes over and drives it at standard highway speeds. Robocars – Completely autonomous cars that take no user interaction to reach their destination. These must be extremely safe before public perception will shift to allow them on the road."
FULL STORY: Whistlecars and Robocars

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

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.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower
A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
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.
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