Future of Transportation Part 3: Preparing Our Transportation Infrastructure for Autonomous Vehicles
For some, the idea of autonomous vehicles is still off into the distant future. They assume that it’s still a pie-in-the-sky idea that they won’t see come to fruition in their life. And they’re wrong. Autonomous vehicles will become relevant much faster than we anticipated. In fact, according to some reports, 10 million self-driving vehicles will hit the road by 2020.
This is supported by our overall adoption rates of new technology. As the population becomes more tech-savvy and accepting of new technology, the length of time it has taken for new technologies to become common (adopted by at least 25% of the US population) is shortening.
For those responsible for our roads and transportation systems, that sends a powerful message: we must prepare now and not wait for the implementation of autonomous vehicles to take us by surprise.
These changes can’t be implemented overnight, so it’s important to plan ahead. From signal design to road geometry, our transportation engineers are prepared to help. As you begin construction projects, consider what small steps you can take now to position your community for a successful future.
