Considerations for the Design of Automated Urban Transportation Systems

The need for new transportation paradigms to address the problems associated with widespread dependence on personal automobiles appeared within a few decades of cars becoming available in large numbers, and has been growing ever since. These problems include traffic congestion, noise and air pollution, and the isolation of those without access to private vehicles. Throughout the years, researchers, policy makers, and private citizens have all looked to automated public transportation systems to create a cleaner, safer and more efficient way of life in urban areas. Despite their best efforts, this idyllic future remains frustratingly out of reach. This paper considers some of the issues associated with the design of automated urban transportation systems in an effort to understand the mistakes of the past and create more successful systems in the future.