Autonomous Vehicles

Jacksonville Skyway monorail train passing on elevated rail in front of downtown buildings

Jacksonville To Replace Monorail With Autonomous Shuttles

The city’s aging monorail system will be repurposed as part of an expanded 10-mile shuttle system.

August 17, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

A single car in an empty parking lot full of only bright yellow bollards. A caption on the image reads, "Keep calm and carry on."

Keep Calm. Carry On. AVs Are Just the End of Parking.

Opinion: As autonomous vehicles continue to appear on roads around the world, planners and engineers must be proactive in devising new and creative uses for soon-to-be-obsolete urban parking.

August 8, 2022 - William Riggs

Road with one green electric vehicle charging lane

The Marriage of Technology and Road Infrastructure

The future of road infrastructure likely includes wireless electric charging, innovative construction materials, and more data collection. Will cities remember to prioritize pedestrian safety, too?

July 26, 2022 - Governing

Tesla's chief deisnger easily smashes the window of the cybertruck in a demonstration gone wrong.

Opinion: Stop Trusting Elon Musk—on Tunnels, on Teslas, on Everything

Musk has leveraged social media intrigue and a hot streak on the market to become the standard bearer for autonomous vehicle technology. Trust Tesla at public peril, argues James Brasuell in this opinion piece.

July 18, 2022 - James Brasuell

Blurry speeding cars on an urban road

Federal Agency To Launch Anti-Speeding Initiative

With traffic deaths rising around the country, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is moving to address speeding and regulate autonomous vehicles.

July 10, 2022 - Reuters

The interior of a Tesla, with a large video screen. The person behind the wheel is touching the screen.

How Safe Are Autonomous Vehicles?

Federal regulators are just starting to gain an understanding of how vehicles with automation systems impact traffic safety.

June 17, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

Rendering of autonomous vehicle with woman reading at the wheel

States Have the Power To Regulate Autonomous Vehicles—But Most Don’t

States tend to default to national standards for regulating AVs, but federal officials have been slow to implement rules directed specifically at autonomous vehicles.

April 20, 2022 - Greater Greater Washington

Baltimore Bikeshare

Uber and Lyft: A Tale of Two Companies

After years of resisting efforts by cities to regulate their business and constant—but unprofitable—growth, Uber and Lyft are homing in on their unique strengths.

February 15, 2022 - The Verge

Self-Driving Shuttle

Optimism for Autonomous Shuttles Despite Recent Setbacks

Two autonomous shuttle companies closed last week, but one industry observer sees reasons for optimism for the long-term viability of the still-speculative market.

January 19, 2022 - Forbes

Tesla

Tesla's 'Aggressive' Autonomous Mode Facilitates Lawbreaking

Some Tesla autonomous modes direct the vehicle to engage in dangerous and illegal behaviors, prompting calls for increased regulation of autonomous vehicle tech.

January 19, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

The Boring Company

Two Underwhelming Elon Musk Projects on Display at CES

Demonstrations at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas highlight the failures of Tesla's autonomous vehicles and the Boring Company's tunnels.

January 10, 2022 - Curbed

Internet Cables

Broadband as Critical Transportation Infrastructure

The future of mobility depends on having a comprehensive, nationwide broadband network capable of supporting new transportation technologies and regulatory needs.

January 5, 2022 - Forbes

Walkable Street

Ten Urban Success Stories From 2021

Still battling a global pandemic and its widespread economic and social effects, cities nevertheless made progress in some unexpected ways.

December 31, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

Tesla

Editorial Calls for Tesla to Follow Same 'Self-Driving' Testing Rules as Everyone Else

While dozens of companies are following state-mandated regulations for autonomous vehicle testing, Tesla has managed to avoid the same rules. It's time for regulators to step in, according to the Los Angeles Times Editorial Board.

December 22, 2021 - Los Angeles Times

Tesla

The Ethics of Autonomous Car Testing

In the wake of multiple fatal crashes involving Tesla's self-driving mode, ethicists suggest the need for a robust set of regulations governing the testing of AVs before more of them hit the road.

October 11, 2021 - Newsweek

Self-Driving Cars

How Cities Can Plan For the Rise of Autonomous Vehicles

When cars first started proliferating on American roads, it led to increased sprawl and flight from central cities. What can we do now to prevent the same problem as AVs become more widespread?

October 6, 2021 - Streetsblog USA

Uber Autonomous Vehicle

Who's at Fault When Self-Driving Cars Kill People?

As more autonomous vehicles hit the road and inevitably cause crashes, courts will have to contend with a complex web of responsibility when ruling on wrongful death cases.

July 26, 2021 - Pittman, Dutton, Hellums, Bradley & Mann

Bikeshare and murals

Five Years Later, 'Smart Cities Challenge' Promise Unfulfilled

The "Smart Cities Challenge" paid Columbus, Ohio $50 million to kick start a revolution of urban technology. The revolution never arrived, according to a recent assessment by Wired writer Aarian Marshall.

July 7, 2021 - Wired

D-Link Bus

The Future of Transportation: Well-Funded Buses (Not Self-Driving Cars)

While autonomous vehicles still face regulatory and technical challenges, investment in basic transportation infrastructure like buses and bike lanes can go a long way toward improving safety and taking cars off the road.

May 12, 2021 - The New Republic

Coronavirus and Transportation

The Post-Pandemic Future of Rideshare

With pooled services suspended through the pandemic and research showing most users prefer private rides, will shared rides continue to play a role in urban transportation?

March 24, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

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.