What would life in cities be like with autonomous cars?
There are more and more experts who reflect on this possibility, and seem to agree that even in the USA, where driving is a way of life, this type of vehicle will end up being imposed. Partly because its operation is more feasible in large cities than in open spaces where more unexpected situations may occur.
In cities it is cheaper to make the computerization of roads (3D maps) and also easier to keep them updated. In addition, possible control centers would be closer to where traffic is generated.
The “problem” on what is most reflected is that of the “last mile”. That people can easily go from their home to the point of public transport grouping, and from another point to their work.
Solving that problem could greatly reduce traffic in cities.
An interesting book dealing with traffic in cities within 50 years is The End of Driving: Transportation Systems and Public Policy Planning for Autonomous Vehicles, written by Bern Grush and John Niles. And there are others similar dealing with the same subject.
All experts insist that fewer cars will be purchased to use the rental on demand (ride hailing), which will be much cheaper by not having a driver.
Depending on the customs of the countries, the resistance to change the way of life will be greater or lesser. Surely in the USA it will cost more than in Europe, and I am convinced that in China with a centralized policy they will get it much sooner.
Where more is being researched and invested is in the USA, China and Europe, but especially in the first two. With the difference that private companies do it in the West and in China it is the government that empowers and controls it.
In China the people in the cities live more concentrated and on the other hand in the USA many people live in the suburbs where there is no public transport and private cars predominate. The problems to be solved are different.
As companies in the US face more complex problems, it will cost them more to come up with practical solutions, but when they do they will be better positioned in the market for having had to take a more disruptive leap.
The problem of the future mobility of people is something common throughout the world. The autonomous cars are intermingled, with the electric cars, with the ecological generation of the necessary energy, with the batteries of the cars that can receive energy from the network or return it to the network when they do not need it, with the information and coordination of the road traffic, with …
As I say, a big problem that will be solved in steps, with successes and errors that will be corrected on the way .
To imagine what life will be like in 50 years is to look at a crystal ball and assume what is going to happen, but I think it is good to reflect on it. It can help us to relativize our reality and think that we could do things a little better.
Or maybe much better.
