Will We Ever Reduce Auto Dependency

[David Horn]

(09-28-2021, 03:04 PM)Eric the Green Wrote:

(09-27-2021, 01:44 PM)David Horn Wrote:

(09-27-2021, 11:19 AM)beechnut79 Wrote: Much has been made about switching to hybrid or totally electric vehicles. Can be done but it won't do anything to curb traffic congestion. We can't continue to build our way out of said congestion forever. So, what do you all think? Obviously there so far hasn't been the will to do anything to reduce auto dependency. What do you see happening?

Fully autonomous on-demand vehicles should have a true impact on congestion, but even that will not make urban commuting sensible.  The answer has to be much better public transport, coupled with on-demand for the "last mile".  We won't see it in action, but it seems to be in the planning stages already.  Maybe we will see it, but only in the movies.

On-demand hauling and short-distance shipping would still be needed, and roads are still needed for these vehicles. There's only so much you can carry on a bus. I don't think there's an alternative to in-person shopping, even though on-line shopping is much touted and used. But getting just the right fit in every respect and good advice is important. Not to mention going for in-person appointments and gatherings is better than zooming. And people like to go on trips and be at the wheel. So cars will remain. They just need to be reduced in number and their fuel changed.

I think we can agree that the transportation system of 2060+ will be drastically different the system in place today -- even though the pathways (roads, birdges, tunnels) will likely be the same, albeit improved.  What we don't know yet is the impact on where we'll all live.  Urban living has its cheerleaders, and so do suburban and rural.  I suspect that climate change will drive this, and demographics will drive transportation.