I had a very interesting response from one Matt Coulton on my last post that I want to address in my next blog however for the moment, I want to look at what could be the future transport option in cities, the driver-less car.
It is important that a decision and
strategy is created regarding what form cars of the future should take, because
personal transport is an enormous issue for both Sydney and the world, due to
its environmental impact and sustainability.
There are currently more than a billion
cars on the world’s roads, a figure that has doubled in the past 25 years. Developing economies in Brazil, India and China are behind this surge in car ownership.
Transport is responsible for a fifth of
global oil use, and forecast to be the primary source of future oil use and
emissions growth, this is a trend that cannot be sustained for the
long term.
Driver-less cars have recently come into the picture (and if you want a look at this incredible technology, check out the link below) as an alternative to our current private vehicles.
Basically, they use GPS and sensor technology to allow the car to drive itself. I do not want to get into the specifics of the design and the controversy of safety, hazards etc, but rather the potential (or detriment) this invention could bring for the environment and the sustainability of cities.
A video on the Google Driver-less Car
So how could this help??
Advantages
- Those who cannot drive could now have access to personal transport
- Safer cities, with obstacles, mood changes and human error taken out
- Once widely available, it should allow a foregoing of car ownership in favor of car-sharing, where the vehicle comes to you, charged and ready to go, as needed. Thus the result could be far fewer cars on the road than today (and conversely, less parking lots, spaces for our cars which means more space)
- The brain of these cars will also reduce inefficient routes and decrease overall driving time, leading to better air quality and lower carbon emissions
Disadvantages
- Self driving cars may encourage MORE cars on the road, as people might buy as additional cars
- Just because the car is driver-less, doesn't mean it will be smaller or more fuel efficient. There are fears that cars will get bigger and more luxurious as space is added to recline, relax and enjoy the less-stressful ride.
- Could potentially lead to greater urban sprawl, as commuting could become more tolerable without the hassle of driving
Personally, I am relatively skeptical of driver-less cars. Not because of the 'the robots will get smarter and take over the world' scenario, but because it does have the potential to lead to greater environmental discomfort.
I think the biggest question surrounding the sustainability of the cars is whether or not they will use fossil fuels to power them. If the car is powered by petrol, then it will have environmental repercussions. However, if it could be electrically powered, or sustainably generated, then it has the potential to solve a great number of issues within cities, including congestion, pollution and space restraints.
For my next post, I want to respond to Matt's comment on my past blog, which will discuss the role that cyclists could play in cities instead of cars.
Interesting blogs/resources to check out on driver-less cars include:
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