How much should the federal government involve local authorities in crafting autonomous vehicle regulations? Officials in New York say they aren't being included enough.

"New York City’s top transportation official says cities are getting left out of federal efforts to prepare for the rise of self-driving cars and trucks on the nation’s roadways," reports Bill Lucia.
"Polly Trottenberg, commissioner of the city’s department of transportation, told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday that, to date, the feds have not 'meaningfully involved' cities in developing policies for the vehicles," adds Lucia.
Trottenberg specifically called out the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for not engaging with local authorities. Both the House and the Senate are working on legislation that would establish "a national framework" for autonomous vehicles.
FULL STORY: NYC DOT Chief: Feds Are Forgoing City Input on Self-Driving Vehicles

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.

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

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?

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians
Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.
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