Autonomous vehicles : land use implications for Austin, Texas

Autonomous vehicles are said to be a disruptive technology that will transform the way we live in coming decades. Drawing from the historical context of conventional vehicles and their subsequent transformation of land use development patterns, this paper seeks to understand the ancillary implications of such advances in transport. I assert the argument that Austin will be amongst the first cities to experience these shifts due to its history of economic development strategy, large populous of technology 'first-adopters,' the city's struggle to accommodate rapid growth, and Austin's context within Texas' business-friendly regulatory environment. The literature review aims to cover a broad, high-level view of the current status of autonomous vehicle development and provide context for how the academy is researching the possibilities for autonomous vehicle commercialization. A second portion of this report summarizes the views of Austin-based traffic engineers, transit researchers, attorneys, and other experts serving on various policy advisory councils in Austin, Travis County, and Central Texas.