The Need for Steering the Driverless Horseless Carriage: Anticipated Environmental Impacts of Autonomous Vehicles

Presented by: Arthur Harrington

Automation has been occurring in industry for decades. Though automation of transportation has been discussed and researched for decades, only recently has development of a fully utonomous vehicle seemed like a reality. In fact, there is little doubt that multiple auto manufacturers will have models for consumers to buy within the next five to ten years. As transportation professionals and planners, we are hopeful that the touted reductions in accidents due to inattentive driving will be realized, but questions remain on when this will occur. By removing the need to have a driver, the arduousness of driving is potentially reduced. This may impact development patterns. So what is the future of autonomous vehicles and how will they impact mobility? This session will begin to explore and discuss several perspectives on the potential impacts of autonomous vehicles.