Self-driving car companies have proposed equipping bikes, pedestrians, and even pets with the ability to communicate their positions wirelessly. But should autonomous cars really need the help?

"The most difficult detection problem that autonomous vehicle systems face"—according to a 2017 report from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers—is bicycles.
That's a blind spot with life-or-death stakes, so companies like Ford, Tome Software, and Trek Bicycle have proposed a possible solution: give bikes the ability to simply tell autonomous cars where they're going. But Christina Bonnington argues in Slate that bicycle-to-vehicle communication—or its logical extension, vehicle-to-everything—is just a crutch for fundamentally inadequate detection technology.
After comparing the logistics of distributed communication to the high-performing detection systems boasted by some AV companies, like Uber and Waymo, Bonnington concludes:
"Bicycle-to-vehicle communication is a good idea and could be useful in certain scenarios, such as when visibility is low—at night or in the rain—or on tricky, twisty back roads with blind corners. But if cars are going to drive the roads without human help, they need to be able to handle all of the challenges that come with it, regardless of whether they’re wirelessly connected to the world around them."
FULL STORY: The Cyclist Problem

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

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

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City
The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill
A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users
A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.
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