Most major CBDs have a big traffic problem – too many people want to drive into the city compared to the amount of road that is available. And the cars pollute and hinder pedestrians and need parking etc.
Any solution to car glut will get the attention of local government.
There are a number of innovations in the works, that when combined, will be transformative:
- electric cars – no pollution, cheaper to run, more reliable
- autonomous vehicles – safer, more room for passengers, no drink driving or drug driving
- guidance systems – cars take optimal routes, drive closer together, take less room
- shared cars / public transport – as we leave behind the idea of a car being owned, efficiencies multiply
Combine those 4 trends and we get cars that drive all day, without being parked, without emissions. They travel as convoys to save space. They can be half as wide, meaning double capacity. They know the quickest way from A to B. And without drivers or ownership they are substantially cheaper.
Now tell your local leaders that this can become reality much quicker if a vehicle operating system is developed. Then tell them it won’t cost them a penny.
A study showed that it costs
- $1.60 per mile for private vehicle operation
- $0.41 if the vehicle is autonomous and shared
- $0.15 if that sharing involves strangers taking journeys together
BONUS IDEA
Less congested CBD roads will mean that less roads are needed. CBD land is very expensive (because often you can build a skyscraper on it), so any freed land is worth a lot to the city.
Land made available can be sold for more buildings to be built, or turned into a public facility like a square, park or market.
HALF AS WIDE
An autonomous, electric vehicles has less going on. There is certainly more room in the cabin – no gear stick, no steering wheel, no need for a forward-facing driver. I believe vehicles that are wide enough for two people to share a space, which means half the present width, is achievable. Which means double the capacity of existing roads.
I can’t imagine any near-future (aside for perhaps flying vehicles) that can increase the load capacity of city streets so dramatically.
