Opinion: Regulation Must Precede the Mass Rollout of Autonomous Cars

The time to craft a comprehensive set of regulations governing safety, privacy, accessibility, and equity is now.

1 minute read

November 14, 2022, 11:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Small autonomous bus vehicle in Helsinki, Finland

Autonomous bus in Helsinki, Finland. | SariMe / Autonomous bus

In an op-ed in Next City, Yonah Freemark argues that the United States urgently needs new regulations governing autonomous vehicles. Freemark outlines the potential benefits of AVs: improved safety, more time for commuters, expanded access to transportation. “But there’s no guarantee these benefits will be achieved,” Freemark continues.

A botched AV deployment could result in more pedestrians exposed to traffic crashes. AV camera systems — essential to allow these vehicles to navigate the streets — could invade peoples’ privacy. And AVs, like current ride-hailing services, could offer less equitable access to mobility for people with low incomes, while producing more traffic than ever.

Freemark points to new research from the Urban Institute that shows how federal, state, and local regulations can guide the rollout of AVs to maximize benefits and minimize harms. Important steps include comprehensive driving tests aimed specifically at autonomous cars, regulations around privacy, and minimum service requirements to ensure equitable distribution of commercial AVs like those used by ride-hailing companies.

Monday, November 14, 2022 in Next City

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

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.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

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?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

1 hour ago - WTTV

Red and black pavilion with visitor information in public park in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Baker Creek Pavilion: Blending Nature and Architecture in Knoxville

Knoxville’s urban wilderness planning initiative unveils the "Baker Creek Pavilion" to increase the city's access to green spaces.

3 hours ago - Dezeen

Adult holding hands of two children, all wearing winter coats, in crosswalk in New York City during holidays with trees decorated with lights in background.

Pedestrian Deaths Drop, Remain Twice as High as in 2009

Fatalities declined by 4 percent in 2024, but the U.S. is still nowhere close to ‘Vision Zero.’

5 hours ago - Streetsblog USA