“Ultimately people can’t get around conveniently because they are far away from everything.” And it is this observation that for me epitomizes the problem of the driverless car — it’s the worst kind of solutionism. By becoming so enamored with how technology might transform the car, we’ve neglected to adequately explore how getting rid of cars might transform how and where we live. We’d do well to heed Gorz’s exhortation to “never make transportation an issue by itself.” — opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com
It's a given that America continues to be a car-obsessed society despite the more painstaking reality of driving a car in many major cities of today. In The New York Times, editor Allison Arieff of SPUR points out that the U.S. is still fixated on selling, using and enhancing the car when commuters are carpooling more and buying fewer cars.
Furthermore, Arieff gets to the root of the problem by pointing out the negative impacts that a car-dependent culture has on public transportation and the even more complex issue of urban sprawl--both which are in need of more attention and innovation. As Arieff mentions in her article, cars aren't what make up the city--it's the city itself. Taking that into account, urban planners have a crucial role in making the Land of the Free less dependent on the car.
Do you agree with Arieff? What's your take on the issue? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below.