Automated Vehicles
My Research
Driverless Futures
I’m not interested in what we can do with self-driving vehicles.
I’m interested in what we should do with them.
My work on Automated Vehicles focuses on how new technologies can best be used to improve cities and the quality of life for those who live in them. Using research methods from Science and Technology Studies, I identify problems that automated vehicles can be expected to encounter or create. I also discuss options to address those problems. Imagining the possibilities of a driverless future requires us to acknowledge the challenges and opportunities involved, and to make the important choices that will ensure we reach our goals.
My Areas of Research for Automated Vehicles
Scaleability
What applications work for AVs? Which purposes, locations, clients, and circumstances can they serve best?Roadblocks
What obstacles currently exist in policy, economic, and practical constraints?Networks Required
What networks of people and infrastructure would be required for AV systems to operate successfully?Unintended Consequences
How might misuse, dependence, inequality, or other problems result from AVs? How can they be avoided?Competing Interests
Which social, commercial, and political groups have interests in AV technology, and where do those interests align or conflict?Choices and Alternatives
What options do we have in adopting AVs, and when might we wish to seek the same benefits in other ways?Does my research align with your needs?
If you are interested in working with me or learning more, I would love to hear from you.
Articles on Automated Vehicles
The Surprising Downside to Driving
The car is the perfect transportation device. It takes me anywhere, anytime I want, effortlessly and fast…
read moreAVs might not be the biggest change coming to city transportation
AVs are being hailed as the solution to our transportation problems. But the biggest wins may lie elsewhere.
read moreWe can do a lot without AVs
AVs are coming… but we don’t have to wait
read moreWill AVs replace our cars?
Adding AVs versus taking away people’s cars: What we are likely to see in the coming years…
read moreBig Choices for a Driverless Future
Though it can often seem like technology is speeding ahead and taking us along for the ride, in many ways our choices shape these new technologies as they are developed.
read moreUnderstanding Autonomous Vehicles
There’s a lot of buzz these days about Autonomous Vehicles (AVs), also known as “driverless” or “self-driving” cars. Here’s a quick introduction on what they are, and why everyone is so excited about them.
read moreUsing Autonomous Vehicles to Meet Government and Community Goals
For government officials and municipal leaders, the challenges of accommodating the interests of both residents and businesses often involve factors of transportation.
read more