Planning for Disruption: Connected and Autonomous Vehicles

Abstract

The future of transportation is inseparable from the future of work. Over the last century, transportation has focused on moving people and goods, but work in the 21st century has started to change dramatically due to vehicle automation, changing consumer patterns, and the rise of virtual retail. These factors will bring profound changes in transportation, infrastructure, and access to resources in the city, including housing, food, public spaces, and labor opportunities. This research project investigated the implications of the forthcoming changes in transportation, mobility, and the nature of work. It focused on the impact of vehicle automation on jobs access and explored the tensions that arise as new vehicle automation technologies are introduced into the streets of neighborhoods with historically disadvantaged residents.