Cities Must Act Now to Prepare for Autonomous Vehicle Impact

Cities must prepare now for autonomous vehicles’ shifting impact on land use and transport.

An online panel hosted by the Urbanism Next Center brought together researchers and planners, including director Nico Larco and SCAG’s Marisa Laderach, to assess how AVs might reshape urban landscapes. This proactive stance is vital because while AVs remain a minuscule part of current trips, their eventual influence could transform city planning.

“We do not yet fully know the rate AVs will penetrate the market, and because there’s so much uncertainty still, land-use implications are going to be massive,” Marisa Laderach, principal regional planner at the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and California Clean Cities Coalition director, said during the panel.

SCAG’s Connect SoCal 2024 plan has identified over 700 potential mobility hubs, offering a framework for integrating AVs into multimodal systems. Panelists stressed uncertainties around AV market penetration and highlighted contrasting futures: shared fleets could reduce parking demand and promote density, while privately owned AVs risk increasing sprawl and congestion. Larco cautioned that although readiness is essential, the most significant impacts are not imminent. Cities are urged to experiment broadly and enact flexible regulations subject to revision within a couple of years.

Montana communities might face unique challenges in adapting mobility hubs or balancing development patterns as these technologies evolve.

The Impacts May Be En Route, but Cities Should Plan for AVs
By Skip Descant, GovTech