Shaping the Future of Mobility in the Age of Connected Autonomous Vehicles

At Steer, we explore planning, design and policy strategies that can influence Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) to positively affect societal goals.

CAV technologies will disrupt the business as usual transportation model. As transportation planners, economists and urbanists, we appreciate the benefits that this technological revolution may bring in terms of sustainability, livability, and accessibility, and welcome this leap forward. However, we also value the lessons learned from the mistakes of the last century and recognize that technology is a tool, not a means, and that we cannot afford to shape our city around a new technology and create new infrastructural rigidities.

Numerous studies, including Steer’s manifesto for city centres in the age of the driverless car, are under way to assess the impacts of CAV technologies on mobility and travel demand and it may well be that these factors could turn cities into urban nightmares if we don’t prepare adequately for it. 

Sprawling development, congestion, inequality, privacy, job-losses and infrastructure stringencies will be among the most pressing challenges that city staff and policy makers will have to face through this passage.

Preparing for CAVs will mean maximizing the benefits that they will offer while mitigating, if not eliminating, their risks, particularly, the temptation of re-designing cities around the new technology rather than around their people, as a means to improve livability and quality of life for all.

How will autonomous vehicles impact and change parking, highway capacity and VMT, toll roads and managed lanes demand, urban mobility, intercity mobility and demand for rail and short-haul flights, and urban design?

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CAVs and Parking

CAVs and Urban Mobility

CAVs and Urban Design

CAVs and Intercity Rail

CAVs and Highways, Managed Lanes and Toll Roads

CAVs Adoption and Behavioral Research

Learn more about our disruptive technology work on our Services page

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