Technology

A button to start a car reads “2023 Start”

Planning Trends to Watch in 2023

The days and weeks since the arrival of Covid-19 have been filled with so much noise about the future, it’s been difficult to distinguish between big stories and frivolous distractions. Planetizen is here to help.

February 21, 2023 - James Brasuell

Close-up of multiple black and red Tesla cars parked in a lot

Recall Affects Over 360,000 Tesla Cars with ‘Full Self-Driving’ Software

Federal regulators are asking the carmaker to update the software on vehicles equipped with FSD due to its poor safety record.

February 17, 2023 - The Verge

Close-up of line of cars at electric vehicle charging station

Virginia Ties Clean Car Standards to California

The last obstacle to a 2021 bill linking Virginia’s emissions standards to California policy was defeated on a party-line vote in the state’s legislature, paving the way for a shift to electric vehicles.

February 16, 2023 - The Virginia Mercury

An aerial view of Los Angeles at dawn, with Westlake and MacArthur Park in the foreground and Downtown Los Angeles in the background.

How L.A. County is Ensuring Data-Informed, Equity-Driven Implementation of the American Rescue Plan

Los Angeles County has developed a series of tools to democratize data on communities most impacted by COVID-19 and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act programs and services developed to serve them.

February 13, 2023 - County of Los Angeles

Overhead view of people at a large table working with charts and graphs on laptops and on paper

The Importance of Good Data Visualization

When done right, data visualization effectively translates complex data into easily understood visuals in the form of graphs, charts, maps, plots, animations, and more.

February 13, 2023 - The New Stack

Self-driving white and red Cruise vehicle (Chevy Bolt body) in San Francisco with cyclist following behind

San Francisco Officials Detail Self-Driving Car ‘Mayhem’ in Letter to State

In the worst version of the autonomous future, San Francisco firefighters have to fight off a self-driving car that crashed into their equipment during a fire, prompting calls for stricter regulations.

February 9, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

Low close-up shot of black and pink Lyft e-scooters lined up on downtown Los Angeles sidewalk

Lyft Shifting to Docked E-Scooters

After failing to deliver on promises of frictionless, free shared mobility, the operator will begin docking its scooters at stations to reduce sidewalk obstructions and eliminate the need to collect scooters for recharging.

February 6, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

Photo of cars on two-way separated highway with illustrated lines between them indicating tech-driven decisions

How Autonomous Cars Could Impact Energy Use

The complex algorithms used by self-driving vehicle technology use massive amounts of energy, which could lead to a steep rise in carbon emissions as autonomous cars become more commonplace.

February 2, 2023 - Dezeen

Multicolored four-story brick New York City apartment buildings with fire escapes

Is an Algorithm Driving Up New York City Rents?

While landlords and boosters are touting a ‘flood’ of returning residents to the city as the reason behind rising housing costs, one New Yorker doesn’t buy it.

February 1, 2023 - Curbed

SEPTA Station

SEPTA To Install Arrival Clocks

The digital displays will finally let riders know when the next train is coming.

January 27, 2023 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Exterior of Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas, Texas

Critiquing an AI-Generated Architecture Critic

Artificial intelligence is being used to generate all kinds of content. Can it successfully replace architecture critics, or does understanding place require physical presence?

January 23, 2023 - The Dallas Morning News

Pedestrians and Cars

New York Speed Limiting Pilot Shows Promising Results

City vehicles equipped with speed limiting technology showed nearly complete compliance with speed limit laws and a significant reduction in hard-braking events.

January 19, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Toronto Moss Park

Using Cellphone Data to Understand Park Use

A new University of Toronto study analyzes anonymous GPS data from smartphones to track how people use and interact with green spaces.

January 17, 2023 - University of Toronto News

U.S. Census Bureau

Advancing Equity with Census Data

The U.S. Census Bureau offers a variety of data and tools that can be used by policy-makers and the public to better understand underserved communities and advance equity.

January 16, 2023 - U.S. Census Bureau

"Caution! Extreme heat danger" sign in Death Valley National Park with desert mountains in background

The Importance of Cooling Centers

A new UCLA study examines how formal and informal cooling centers are being used in Los Angeles County.

January 16, 2023 - UCLA Newsroom

Rendering of grey convertible electric Hummer charging at a charging station against a sunset sky

Electric Car Batteries Spark Weight Concerns

A federal transportation official is warning that electric vehicle batteries, which can weigh thousands of pounds and make cars much heavier than their gas-powered counterparts.

January 16, 2023 - NPR

A rendering of a futuristic city in the desert.

A $400 Billion City in the U.S. Desert

The latest futuristic city concept attracting attention on the internet is known as Telosa.

January 10, 2023 - Tomorrow’s Build via YouTube

People in crosswalk with blurred fast car passing in foreground

Zero to Deadly: How More Powerful Cars Endanger Lives

With cars accelerating more quickly, drivers have less time to react and can pose more danger to pedestrians.

January 10, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

View of street in Chattanooga, Tennessee with vintage buildings

Chattanooga Expands ‘Smart Intersection’ Network

The city is building on a smaller test project that uses sensors to gather data about traffic movement to help transportation planners make more informed traffic management decisions.

January 9, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Electric cars parked curbside and charging on a city street

Tech Trends for Cities and States

Smart cities technology is well behind schedule, but the technology industry hasn’t given up on new digital solutions, self-driving cars, curb management, and AI-powered systems.

January 4, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.