Technology

Brisbane, CA

Using Satellite Imagery, This AI Traces Urban Wealth

Penny is an artificial intelligence program that detects affluence from space. It also lets users experiment with how different visual forms affect its perception of an area's wealth.

July 29, 2017 - CityLab

Grid Bike Share

Next From China: Bikeshare Without the Station

Led by the companies Mobike and Ofo, so-called "dockless" bike sharing is all the rage in Chinese cities. Unlocked by app, the bikes can be left anywhere for the next user to pick up. There have been some hiccups.

July 28, 2017 - CNN Tech

Suburban Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Takes Property Data Visualization to the Next Level

Not all property data maps are created equal.

July 26, 2017 - Data-Smart City Solutions

Bike woth sound system

Bikes That Talk in a World of Self-Driving Cars

The question of whether self-driving cars will make streets and roads a safer place for humans depends on whether technology can protect the most vulnerable users.

July 25, 2017 - National Public Radio

Bus Stop

First Mile-Last Mile, Intermodalism, and Making Public Transit More Attractive

As planners seek to leverage public transit investments with enhanced first mile-last mile connections, it is critical that market analysis guide those initiatives and that impacts and cost effectiveness are part of the performance assessment.

July 25, 2017 - Steven Polzin

Japan

A National Day of Telecommuting

Companies and workers in the country of Japan are less likely to work from home than in the United States. The government hopes to increase the number of telecommuters during the 2020 Olympics, however.

July 25, 2017 - Quartz

Hyperloop

Reality Checking Elon Musk's Hyperloop Nothing Burger—Again

Elon Musk's desire to tunnel a path to freedom from congestion refuses to die.

July 24, 2017 - Wired

An App Launches 'Smart Bus' Service in London

The Citymapper "smart bus" system will rely on the power of data to meet transit service demand in London.

July 21, 2017 - The Verge

No Self-Driving Cars Without Hyper-Local Maps

While the fame and the glory might go to the first companies that bring self-driving cars to the market, the companies that provide the detailed, constantly changing maps will make a lot of money.

July 20, 2017 - PC Magazine

Tesla

The Era of the Electric Vehicle is Approaching

A new report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance predicts that due to a plunge in battery prices and improvement in battery technology, electric vehicles will be cost-competitive with gasoline vehicles in eight years. By 2040, they will outsell them.

July 17, 2017 - Bloomberg BusinessWeek

Report Predicts the End of Individual Car Ownership

The first report from independent think tank RethinkXL predicts that by 2031, 95 percent of U.S. passenger miles traveled will be served by on-demand, autonomous electric vehicles owned by companies providing transport as a service.

July 14, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Dublin Skyline

Take a LiDAR Tour of Dublin

The potential of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data to redefine mapping and modeling will be on display in the city of Dublin, Ireland, after NYU researchers released the largest ever LiDAR data set.

July 14, 2017 - TechCrunch

Artificial Intelligence Unlocks the Secrets of Neighborhood Change

Researchers at MIT and Harvard believe that their computer vision system (i.e., artificial intelligence) helps reveal fundamental characteristics of neighborhood change.

July 14, 2017 - MIT News

A New Tool to Amplify the Power of Open Data

Open data that no one knows how to use is hardly open at all. A new platform from Esri aims to improve the situation.

July 14, 2017 - CityLab

workspace

Telecommuting Skews Affluent

Here's a reason to doubt telecommuting as a silver bullet for congestion in growing regions: most people don't have the option.

July 13, 2017 - Quartz

Google Self-Driving Car smaller

The High-Stakes Race to Deliver the First Car that Drives Itself

A new report provides a stark reminder of the stakes for businesses (setting aside the public right of way of other public interests) in the race to be the first to go self-driving.

July 13, 2017 - Bloomberg

Smart Infrastructure

Engineers Are Testing an Intelligent Pipeline Infrastructure

Sensing capabilities and advanced building materials are redefining the resilience of infrastructure systems of all kinds.

July 11, 2017 - Kayla Matthews

Toyota Fuel Cell

Fuel Cell Vehicles Get Surprising Boost from Uncle Sam

The petroleum industry-friendly Trump Administration has awarded $15.8 million to 30 projects that are intended to substantially reduce oil consumption from passenger vehicles.

July 10, 2017 - AASHTO Journal

A Next Generation Kerfuffle for Telecommunications Infrastructure

The rollout of "5G" wireless Internet technology was already creating political controversy in local cities and communities. Then the California State Legislature proposed a bill that would streamline the approval process for 5G installations.

July 7, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Volvo Makes History in Embrace of Electric Vehicle Technology

In a major announcement that could shake-up the auto industry, Volvo Cars declared it will initiate a gradual divorce from autos solely powered by internal combustion in two years. The Chinese-owned company wants to reduce its environmental impact.

July 6, 2017 - The New York Times

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.

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.