Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Self-driving cars

Congress and Auto Industry Move to Ban Cities From Regulating Self-Driving Cars

By Angie Schmitt and Stephen Miller | Aug 2, 2017 | 17 Comments

Autonomous vehicles should benefit cities, not the other way around, but legislation advancing through Congress would tie urban officials' hands when it comes to shaping AV policy.

Self-Driving Cars Should Accommodate People, Not the Other Way Around

By Stephen Miller | Jul 25, 2017 | 20 Comments

You think victim-blaming is bad now? Making everyone walk or bike with a "don't hit me" device would further penalize the most vulnerable.

A re-election campaign ad last year for Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez promised "more rail lines." Now, he seems more enamored with self-driving cars. Image: Carlos Gimenez/YouTube

Miami’s Future Should Be Transit and Walking, But the Mayor’s Focused on Robot Cars

By Stephen Miller | May 26, 2017 | 49 Comments

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez is in charge of executing an ambitious transit expansion plan -- but lately, in a spectacular example of missing the point, he's been talking up autonomous cars as the ultimate transportation solution.

Will US DOT’s Self-Driving Car Rules Make Streets Safe for Walking and Biking?

By Angie Schmitt | Sep 22, 2016 | 44 Comments

This week, U.S. DOT released guidelines for self-driving cars, a significant step as regulators prepare for companies to bring this new technology to market. Autonomous vehicles raise all sorts of questions about urban transportation systems. It’s up to advocates to ensure that the technology helps accomplish broader goals like safer streets and more efficient use of urban space, […]

6 Principles to Make Self-Driving Cars Work for Cities, Not Against Them

By Angie Schmitt | Jun 24, 2016 | 63 Comments

Self-driving cars are coming, and maybe sooner than we think. But the question of how they will shape cities is still wide open. Could they lead to less traffic and parking as people stop owning cars and start sharing them? More sprawl as car travel becomes less of a hassle? More freedom to walk and bike […]

Google Patents “Flypaper” to Save Pedestrians By Sticking Them to Car Hoods

By Angie Schmitt | May 19, 2016 | 30 Comments

The minds at Google have come up with a novel idea to protect pedestrians in the event of a collision with the company’s self-driving cars. The tech behemoth was awarded a patent this week for what it describes as a “flypaper or double-sided duct tape”-type substance beneath an “eggshell” exterior on the hood of the car. In a collision […]

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