Autonomous Urbanism: Impacts and Opportunities of Emerging Mobility Technologies

3 CM / LU Pending

Emerging mobility technologies, from autonomous vehicles and rapid transit to rideshare and dock-free devices, are changing the urban landscape. A group of design and planning leaders from ASLA's New Mobility and Emerging Technologies Subcommittee will host a workshop that looks beyond technological boosterism to the impacts and opportunities of these innovations for the built environment. The workshop will begin with a high-level overview of the potential risks and rewards of new mobility technologies. This introduction will be followed by a charrette in which breakout groups apply emerging mobility technologies to a range of prototypical settings. Sample locations from the Portland area include a suburban industrial area, a mixed use neighborhood, and a downtown corridor. Teams will examine the relationship between new technologies and existing transportation in these places, as well as their influence on land use and public space. Teams will imagine alternative futures that harness technology in support of more humane, sustainable, and equitable communities.