The Future of AVs is about Roads as much as AI
Self-driving cars are only half the equation. Cities need to rethink streets for an autonomous future.
In addition to sharing my thoughts here, I also write as a Policy Fellow for the Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure (Aii), the only nationwide think tank focused exclusively on infrastructure policy.
A version of this piece was first published with Aii, where the team dives into everything from transportation and energy to broader infrastructure and policy issues. If that’s up your alley, I highly recommend checking them out at aii.org.
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Autonomous vehicles (AVs) may still feel like science fiction, yet they are being rolled out on streets across the country in real time. Policies regulating them are being shaped with immediate feedback, placing urban design at a critical juncture. The conversation is not only about the technology driving AVs but about the built environment they interact with.
It is realistic to expect that in the not-so-distant future, AVs will replace all other automobiles on the road. The benefits are numerous, and AVs are bound to be even more transformational to the way we live, interact with our cities, and travel than automobiles were in the 20th century. First and foremost, AVs promise unprecedented safety. Onboard computers and sensors will be able to communicate seamlessly with each other, taking human judgment out of the equation and all but eliminating car crashes. Beyond safety, AVs will streamline traffic flows, reducing congestion and making all surface-level traffic faster. Our city limits will extend as commutes are halved and become productive rather than drudgery.
The shift to AVs will fundamentally alter the built environment, raising new questions and opportunities for how streets, parking, and public spaces are designed. With optimized traffic flow and reduced collisions, traditional intersections and traffic signals may become obsolete. Far less space will be needed for public parking, allowing cities to reimagine how they use their curbside real estate. Transit systems will also need to adapt—whether through dedicated AV lanes or more ways to integrate with other modes of transport. As AVs redefine urban movement, cities must carefully balance efficiency with accessibility, ensuring equitable street design rather than repeating the mistakes of car-centric development. Other smart infrastructure like real-time traffic sensors, automated charging stations, and AI-driven navigation systems will play equally important roles in this revolution. However, it is paramount that the human element remains central to the conversation.
A big part of this vision relies on AVs being the only vehicles on the road. As long as unpredictable human error is involved, the full benefit will never be realized. However, roads are not solely owned by vehicles. Even if all human-operated cars are removed, the human element will always remain and need to be accounted for. Whether pedestrians navigating crosswalks, cyclists maneuvering alongside vehicles, or passengers entering and exiting transit hubs, AVs must interact with unpredictable human behavior. The transition cannot assume human-driven systems will disappear; rather, it must grapple with a parallel ecosystem where AI-driven mobility and human agency coexist. AVs pose not only a challenge in software but also in our built environment. City planners have their work cut out for them, figuring out how to adapt our existing infrastructure to accommodate new modes of transportation and travel patterns. It is important that city planners and engineers have a seat at the table alongside the technologists.
The last half-century of highway expansion can give us some context as to what is at stake. The proliferation of the automobile reprioritized private transport above all else. Most urban cores were hollowed out and are still grappling with the ramifications of these infrastructure decisions and trying to balance the need for rapid thoroughfares and livable cities. These policy choices fundamentally reshaped cities, pushing pedestrians to the margins. A full reimagining of our infrastructure solely for the benefit of AVs could be just as drastic. It is important that we do not have a similar knee-jerk reaction to the promises of AVs and mortgage our future urban considerations. If AVs advance without concurrent infrastructure adjustments, cities risk repeating this cycle, prioritizing a new form of mobility without ensuring inclusive transportation.
The conversation is ongoing. Policymakers cannot afford to wait for AVs to dictate transportation design; they must anticipate the systemic effects now. Otherwise, we may look back decades from today and lament a failure to ask the right questions.