Urbanist circles differ in how they see autonomous vehicles, particularly as they move toward wider adoption. Some see them being a tool that builds up urban communities and improves safety while others worry that they could have exactly the opposite effect. Jason Slaughter of Not Just Bikes falls into the latter category with this video titled: “How Self-Driving Cars will Destroy Cities (and what to do about it).”
Slaughter gives concrete reasons for his skepticism, including exacerbating traffic congestion, pollution, and the traffic safety crisis. Slaughter argues that cities need to start taking actions now to future-proof against more car proliferation in cities, whether autonomous vehicle or not.
Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.