Autonomous Autos: Arlington Works To Get Ahead Of The Inevitable

ARLINGTON, MA — It's no longer a question of "if," so much as "when." Driverless cars are coming. Two companies in Boston are already testing them in the Seaport District. And in Florida, Michigan and Nevada they're already being tested on the roads. Next year California will permit them on roads. So what does this mean for Arlington?

The town's planning department wants to get out ahead of the inevitable, and so they're hosting a forum November 14 (meant especially for town officials, but really for anyone in town who's interested) on driver-less cars and what the future with them might look like from a planning perspective. It's the first of its kind here, according to officials.

"It's an emerging technology and an emerging issue," said Laura Wiener, assistant director of the Arlington Planning Department. "It's an issue that's going to have an impact on the local level as well as the regional level."

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council recently had a meeting featuring information on autonomous vehicles, and it spurred some questions and interest in Arlington. It inspired officials to bring a forum to town. Wiener has invited everyone from Town Meeting members to DPW and the Finance Committee to attend the presentation and discussion.

What the forum look like?

Scott Smith of Volpe National Transportation Center at the forefront of innovative roadway technologies will address the anticipated timeline for availability of autonomous technologies and role of the Federal government, according to an agenda.

Representatives from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council will discuss recent legislative and policy conversations going on, impacts that automated vehicles could have to local infrastructure and what driver-less car infrastructure might do to land use. And a representative from the Conservation Law Foundation will talk about budget impacts.

"I hope everyone will leave with a greater understanding of what it means, and what it could look like on the streets in Arlington. And [start thinking about] how can we harness it in a way that's helpful to us," said Wiener.

Having driver-less cars on the road could increase the number of cars on the road as it gives opportunities to those who aren't able to drive a way to be out on the roads. But it could also be used in a more community-minded way, she said. Think: shared cars mean less need for parking.

"There could be positive impacts," she said. "I think that some of the speakers will talk about what the town can do to guide it in a way that is positive for Arlington."

Nearby

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Gov. Charlie Baker issued executive orders in 2016 directing the development of an on-street testing process according to a press release at the time. nuTonomy and Optimus Ride are both started testing cars in an area of the Seaport District where they have offices, this year. And Lyft, the ride sharing company recently teamed up with nuTonomy, according to a press release.

“Both companies care immensely about solving urban transportation issues and the future of our cities" CEO and Co-founder of nuTonomy Karl lagnemma said in a press release earlier this year.

Lyft's CEO and Co-founder Logan Green said he planned to eventually bring the driver-less cars into the Lyft fleet. “At Lyft, we imagine a world where car ownership is optional and cities are designed for people instead of cars," said Green in the press release announcing the partnership.

So when is that Arlington meeting?

The meeting will be Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall Auditorium.

Photo courtesy nuTonomy