Autonomous Vehicles

Obama's Bold Transportation Funding Proposal Likely to Go Nowhere
President Obama, long opposed to increasing the gas tax, has proposed a $10-per-barrel oil fee to be paid by energy companies. It will fund his 21st Century Clean Transportation System to reduce carbon emissions and promote new vehicle technology.
Demographic Changes Spell Trouble Ahead for Auto Industry
It's not only young adults who are delaying in getting drivers licenses, but a drop in licenses among all age groups according to a new analysis of license data from 1983-2014 by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

Impacts of Self-Driving Cars on Bicycle Planning
This article considers the impacts of driverless cars, or autonomous vehicles, on bicycle planning and what a 'low stress' bicycle route may look like in the future.

Google and Ford Partner-Up to Develop Self-Driving Cars
Google and Ford have partnered to bring together their software know-how with their auto building know-how as the launch of autonomous cars moves one step closer.

Time to Take the Self-Driving Car Seriously?
So far, only a small minority of major cities have considered self-driving cars in their long-range transportation plans. The question is, should policymakers embrace them or stand in their way?
Autonomous Vehicles and the VMT Problem
The flurry of speculation about the future of autonomous vehicles (AVs) is mostly ignoring a significant downside: the impact on vehicle miles travelled (VMT).
A Robot to Go the 'Last Mile'
Contrary to one some urbanists believe, some of the advancements of the new economy might better serve less dense, even suburban, environments. Example: a delivery robot created by the co-founders of Skype.

Humans Faulted in Autonomous Vehicle Accidents
Reports from the California DMV blame human drivers for minor collisions involving Google's self-driving cars. Drive carefully in Mountain View.

Gabe Klein's Vision for D.C. Transportation
Drawing on his experience with the Washington D.C. and Chicago departments of transportation, Gabe Klein shared his thoughts about transportation improvements in the capital—if money were no object.
Mercedes-Benz Developing Self-Driving Limousines
Manifesting predictions that many self-driving vehicles will serve as a new form of taxi service, Mercedes-Benz recently revealed some of its plans to develop a fleet of on-demand limousines.
Pittsburgh Project Could Include Corridor for Driverless Vehicles
A massive redevelopment project moving forward in Pittsburgh would provide in-demand office and tech space near local universities. An innovative transportation infrastructure project could be a part of the deal.
The Road Safety Upgrade the World Desperately Needs: Self-Driving Cars
The headline chosen here summarizes the argument put forward by Vox's Joseph Stromberg, who believes that self-driving cars will be a serious upgrade over the average human driver.

Self-Driving Cars as Public Transportation
No one in the business doubts that autonomous vehicles will have some role to play in the future of transit. But right now, questions abound and answers are still only speculative.

Full-Scale 'SimCity' Will Be Tech Testing Ground
Devoid of a human population, the Center for Innovation, Testing and Evaluation (CITE) is a planned, privately-operated trial lab for the smart city. The CITE design calls for a small, fully-functioning ghost town.
Meet the World's First Self-Driving Big Rig
The world now includes a technology that raises the stakes of the collective interest in self-driving cars to a whole new weight class: a self-driving big rig.

On the Self-Driving Car's Taste in Maps
The navigational software of successful driverless cars will make Google Maps seem like child's play. But can such a system replace or improve upon human instinct and adaptability?
Do Driverless Car Safety Features Merit Fuel Efficiency Credit?
Manufacturers say yes, arguing that the reduction in vehicle crashes decreases traffic congestion. Other features improve traffic flow. But these are safety technologies, not emission-reducing measures, that critics worry will water-down CAFE.

Goodbye Two-Car Household; Hello Rideshare and Carshare
A new study from KPMG predicts that the U.S. will go from a majority multi-car household to one where only 43% of households have more than one motor vehicle by 2040, and rideshare and car-share, along with demographic changes, will play key roles.

Why Self-Driving Buses Hold More Potential than Self-Driving Cars
An article by Greg Lindsay and Anthony Townsend takes the shine off of self-driving cars and identifies a preferable avenue for autonomous vehicle technology: buses.
Holy Autonomous Bicycles Batman!
Recent reports reveal that a Chinese Internet search company known as Baidu is developing a bicycle that will ride itself. The technology could be game changer in Asia—China, for instance, has 551 million bike riders.
Pagination
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.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions