Future street design and urban planning considering Autonomous Vehicles

Abstract

Historically, streets were primarily designed for people's public lives, serving as hubs for cultural exchange and social activities. However, the importance of public lives has been marginalized since the advent of cars, leaving the majority of street spaces for cars. Many serious problems, such as air and noise pollution, climate change, and crime issues, have occurred in the current vehicle-oriented cities. Contemporary urban planners have begun to recognize that prioritizing human well-being and enhancing livability are the key points in the pursuit of sustainable urban development. Nevertheless, the efficacy of such endeavors is constrained by the prevailing dominance of vehicular transportation within today's cities.The objective of this thesis is to investigate the potential transformation of urban forms through grasping the opportunity of autonomous driving. Thanks to the merits of autonomous driving, future urban planning and design may experience ground shaking changes in a driverless world. This research initially delves into the historical modification of street functions and the ensuing challenges, such as pollution and safety issues. It also illustrates the significance of autonomous driving in constructing a better city. Then, the thesis discusses the implications of autonomous vehicles to guide urban planners preparing for a driverless world. Next, the thesis presents 3 potential phases of urban planning changes from the present to a driverless world. This section will concentrate on potential city changes in urban planning and propose viable solutions for a sustainable future. Lastly, this thesis presents some urban design ideas for a fully autonomous future and uses Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood as a case study to show a possible path which our city could follow from the present to a driverless future.