While some may be disappointed by how cities aren't yet swarming with robots and automated cars, Frank Swain writes that it's a matter of when we humans can tailor our landscapes to enable the new technology.
"If automated cars are really on the horizon, then we will have to invest heavily in infrastructure to make the roads robot-friendly. This could mean radio beacons at pedestrian crossings, or road markings inlaid with inductive loops so that cars can sense where to stop at complicated junctions. We'd also need signs to warn drivers as they leave a road that is configured to support automated cars.
On the street, shops and businesses might supplement eye-catching signs with ones suited to electronic optics. In Korea, commuters can now shop at virtual supermarkets by scanning murals of groceries plastered across metro platforms. The advent of inexpensive robotic systems might even herald a return to the old system of grocery shopping, where customers presented a list of goods for the store assistant to fetch."
FULL STORY: The Future Is Machine-Readable
Are Robots Coming to a Sidewalk Near You?
Since 2017, 32 bills regulating or permitting "personal delivery devices"—sidewalk robots—have been introduced in 27 states.
Watch a Self-Driving Car Take Out an Autonomous Robot
Is this the future we've been waiting for?
Mobility as a Symphony: Los Angeles Prepares for Transportation of the Future
LADOT is rehearsing now for the day it has to manage autonomous vehicles alongside delivery drones and air taxis.
The Top Urban Planning Books of 2021
Planetizen's annual list of the top urban planning books of the year is here—maintaining a tradition that dates back to 2002.
The Roadway Expansion Paradox
Motorists want expensive roadway expansions provided that somebody else foots the bill, but when required to pay directly through tolls, the need for more capacity often disappears. What should planners do?
Urban Exodus: Data Don't Support the Popular Pandemic Narrative
Americans fled cities in waves during the pandemic, right? Not to so fast.
Study: At Least 1,500 Unhoused Died on the Streets of L.A. During the Pandemic
New research represents the first detailed picture of death among people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic.
Measuring the Economic Impact of the Great Allegheny Passage
Small communities once dependent on coal, coke, paper, lumber, and manufacturing now have a 150-mile bike and pedestrian path contributing to the local economy.
Houston Could End Homelessness With Less Than 2,000 Housing Units
Houston's homeless response program has yielded strong results in the last few years. Just 1,900 new affordable housing units could 'effectively end' homelessness in the city.
Nelson\Nygaard
BRAILSFORD & DUNLAVEY
Water Replenishment District (WRD)
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of San Carlos
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Royal Oak, Michigan
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
