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No One at the Wheel: Driverless Cars and the Road of the Future
The country's leading transport expert describes how the driverless vehicle revolution will transform highways, cities, workplaces and laws not just here, but across the globe. Our time at the wheel is done. Driving will become illegal, as human drivers will be demonstrably more dangerous than cars that pilot themselves. Is this an impossible future, or a revolution just around the corner? Sam Schwartz, America's most celebrated transportation guru, describes in this book the revolution in self-driving cars. The ramifications will be dramatic, and the transition will be far from seamless. It will overturn the job market for the one in seven Americans who work in the trucking industry. It will cause us to grapple with new ethical dilemmas-if a car will hit a person or a building, endangering the lives of its passengers, who will decide what it does? It will further erode our privacy, since the vehicle can relay our location at any moment. And, like every other computer-controlled device, it can be vulnerable to hacking. Right now, every major car maker here and abroad is working on bringing autonomous vehicles to consumers. The fleets are getting ready to roll and nothing will ever be the same, and this book shows us what the future has in store.
233 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 20, 2018
44 people are currently reading
362 people want to read
About the author
Samuel I. Schwartz
2 books8 followersSchwartz was educated at Brooklyn College (BS in Physics) and the University of Pennsylvania (MSCE) and first worked as a New York City cabbie before being hired by the City of New York in 1971. He served as NYC Traffic Commissioner from 1982 to 1986, and when the traffic department became subsumed by the Department of Transportation he held the second-in-command post of First Deputy Commissioner and Chief Engineer from 1986-1990. While employed with the city, he attempted to introduce bicycle lanes and public plazas. They were vetoed at the last minute by then-mayor John Lindsay. He earned the nickname Gridlock Sam during the 1980 transit strike when he developed a series of transportation contingency plans, called the Grid-Lock Prevention Program.
After he left the city government around 1996, he started his own firm. He writes columns for New York City's Daily News, lower Manhattan’s Downtown Express, The Queens Chronicle, and in the Yiddish News Report as Gridlock Shmuel. He also tweets, and blogs for the Public Broadcasting Service and Engineering News-Record.
After he left the city government around 1996, he started his own firm. He writes columns for New York City's Daily News, lower Manhattan’s Downtown Express, The Queens Chronicle, and in the Yiddish News Report as Gridlock Shmuel. He also tweets, and blogs for the Public Broadcasting Service and Engineering News-Record.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 24, 2018
{60-second video here: http://bit.ly/2KrgU7r }
With a background in traffic engineering, it is easy to understand why author Samuel I. Schwartz is a proponent of autonomous vehicles (AV). However, by the end of the book I came to realize that Mr. Schwartz has taken the same hard-eyed approach to this technology as he applied during his years of service to New York City.
Even people who have the smallest amount of knowledge about the coming AV evolution have strong opinions about it. Some welcome this future while others are adamant about not riding in cars without a human driver. Mr. Schwartz is extremely educated on this topic, one that appears inevitable in one form or another. As with any major change, questions present themselves, some of which may not be solved before an army of autonomous vehicles are on the streets.
Mr. Schwartz is not afraid to get his hands dirty, and one of the final chapters deals with the moralistic aspects, including who may be held accountable for accidents and fatalities. When one considers the myriad possibilities in the potential programming of these vehicles, including more loss of personal privacy, it is easier to understand the precarious balancing job people will have when deciding what programming the “driver” should adhere to in different situations.
The writing is deep without being dry, multi-faceted without an overwhelming mountain of detail. This future is quickly becoming our “Now,” and this book contains more than enough knowledge to enable readers to understand exactly what is racing our way. Recommended. Five stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Perseus Books, Public Affairs for a complimentary advance ebook.
With a background in traffic engineering, it is easy to understand why author Samuel I. Schwartz is a proponent of autonomous vehicles (AV). However, by the end of the book I came to realize that Mr. Schwartz has taken the same hard-eyed approach to this technology as he applied during his years of service to New York City.
Even people who have the smallest amount of knowledge about the coming AV evolution have strong opinions about it. Some welcome this future while others are adamant about not riding in cars without a human driver. Mr. Schwartz is extremely educated on this topic, one that appears inevitable in one form or another. As with any major change, questions present themselves, some of which may not be solved before an army of autonomous vehicles are on the streets.
Mr. Schwartz is not afraid to get his hands dirty, and one of the final chapters deals with the moralistic aspects, including who may be held accountable for accidents and fatalities. When one considers the myriad possibilities in the potential programming of these vehicles, including more loss of personal privacy, it is easier to understand the precarious balancing job people will have when deciding what programming the “driver” should adhere to in different situations.
The writing is deep without being dry, multi-faceted without an overwhelming mountain of detail. This future is quickly becoming our “Now,” and this book contains more than enough knowledge to enable readers to understand exactly what is racing our way. Recommended. Five stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Perseus Books, Public Affairs for a complimentary advance ebook.
November 23, 2018
Self-driving cars, or more broadly, autonomous vehicles (AVs) are really cool. I’m excited to see them become a reality. Nevertheless, there is a lot of hype around this topic. It seems like most of what I read about the subject comes from someone connected to the tech industry or the auto industry (or both), and that always makes me suspicious. No One at the Wheel: Driverless Cars and the Road of the Future is a tonic to that. This eARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a review, and here it is: Samuel I. Schwartz seems like a smart dude who gets it.
The main draw of this book, for me, is hands down simply this: it is written by a transportation engineer, not an autonomous vehicle evangelist. Schwartz knows what he’s talking about, but he knows it from the perspective of pavement and traffic flow, not AI algorithms or engine efficiency tweaks. He is enthusiastic about the benefits of AVs, and he discusses those at length—but he also has a lot of questions and apprehension, which he lays out in a systematic and thoughtful way as well. In short, No One at the Wheel is a nuanced look at what the future of traffic might be like in a society that uses AVs.
Schwartz opens with a history lesson. I was fascinated by this, and this is why I love reading non-fiction. We are so used to “the way things are” that it’s easy to forget that there was always a transitional period. There was a time when automobiles were new, and people needed radio jingles to be educated not to jaywalk and get hit by a car … wow. More importantly, Schwartz points out how many early traffic laws (and regulations concerning pedestrians) ended up shaped by the automotive industry lobby. Also, he notes that interest in self-driving vehicles started almost as soon as we had automotive vehicles in general.
After the history lesson, Schwartz examines why AVs might be desirable. He notes the mobility and accessibility benefits. As a transportation engineer, though, his main question concerns whether AVs will improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and generally be better for roads. The evangelists want the answer to be a resounding yes, but Schwartz demonstrates that this is actually a difficult question to answer. For example, AVs should be better drivers, so they can drive in more tightly confined lanes (narrower roads are a win), more closely together—thereby reducing congestion, right? Except that maybe more people will use AVs, which could increase congestion and road deterioration. Or maybe AVs will be so busy stopping and starting for pedestrians who, knowing the AV has to stop for them, step into the middle of the road that the AVs will actually be slower than a human-driven vehicle. So many possibilities to consider.
Schwartz also gets into the ethical ramifications of AVs and collisions, etc. He covers the Trolley Problem. Whatever. That stuff isn’t as interesting to me now—it’s interesting in general, but it’s not what I’m for; I’ve read it before.
The book really picks up whenever Schwartz considers how AVs affect city planning. Drawing again on history, he examines how we went from cities with no cars to cities built around cars and where we might go in the future. I loved his commentary on the differences between cities with “walkable” downtowns and cities without. For example, he points out that while people with cars tend to spend more per visit, pedestrians and cyclists tend to go to more stores because parking is less of an issue. This totally resonates with me: although I have a vehicle, I like to walk to the downtown as much as possible, because I hate finding parking. I’d rather walk down there and walk to each store, even if it takes a little more effort. Except now, it’s winter, so … yeah, no.
Many books in this vein are also relentlessly focused on the United States to the point of tunnel vision. This shouldn’t be notable, but it is: No One at the Wheel takes a more global perspective. Schwartz discusses American traffic, but he also talks about European, Australian, Indian, etc. traffic. He’s very careful to point out that AVs are not going to be adopted at the same pace or in the same way all over the world, and different jurisdictions with different cultures and histories are going to react differently. I appreciate this attention to detail from an American book by an American author.
At the end of the day, Schwartz’s thesis and biases are fairly clear. It isn’t so much about being pro- or anti-AV. Rather, he wants good transportation options for people. He wants AVs to be part of a larger, more holistic traffic strategy, rather than the be-all, end-all strategy, or something thought of as distinct or disjoint from the rest of traffic. Every example he brings up, every anecdote he shares from his experiences as an engineer and traffic commissioner, every point he makes, drives this home (pun intended): if we are to make the most of what AVs can do for us, we must consider how we can use AVs to make transit overall accessible, mobile, and affordable, instead of just letting AVs “happen” to us.
No One at the Wheel is an interesting, dynamic, thoughtful, and compassionate book by someone who knows what they’re talking about. It took my casual interest in autonomous vehicles and educated me, gave me lots to think about, and in some cases actually caused me to rethink a few of my opinions (I have largely been very pro-AV, but Schwartz has helped explain some of the possible negative side-effects of AVs that until now I kind of brushed aside). If this is a topic that you want to learn more about, then this book will help you achieve that goal.
The main draw of this book, for me, is hands down simply this: it is written by a transportation engineer, not an autonomous vehicle evangelist. Schwartz knows what he’s talking about, but he knows it from the perspective of pavement and traffic flow, not AI algorithms or engine efficiency tweaks. He is enthusiastic about the benefits of AVs, and he discusses those at length—but he also has a lot of questions and apprehension, which he lays out in a systematic and thoughtful way as well. In short, No One at the Wheel is a nuanced look at what the future of traffic might be like in a society that uses AVs.
Schwartz opens with a history lesson. I was fascinated by this, and this is why I love reading non-fiction. We are so used to “the way things are” that it’s easy to forget that there was always a transitional period. There was a time when automobiles were new, and people needed radio jingles to be educated not to jaywalk and get hit by a car … wow. More importantly, Schwartz points out how many early traffic laws (and regulations concerning pedestrians) ended up shaped by the automotive industry lobby. Also, he notes that interest in self-driving vehicles started almost as soon as we had automotive vehicles in general.
After the history lesson, Schwartz examines why AVs might be desirable. He notes the mobility and accessibility benefits. As a transportation engineer, though, his main question concerns whether AVs will improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and generally be better for roads. The evangelists want the answer to be a resounding yes, but Schwartz demonstrates that this is actually a difficult question to answer. For example, AVs should be better drivers, so they can drive in more tightly confined lanes (narrower roads are a win), more closely together—thereby reducing congestion, right? Except that maybe more people will use AVs, which could increase congestion and road deterioration. Or maybe AVs will be so busy stopping and starting for pedestrians who, knowing the AV has to stop for them, step into the middle of the road that the AVs will actually be slower than a human-driven vehicle. So many possibilities to consider.
Schwartz also gets into the ethical ramifications of AVs and collisions, etc. He covers the Trolley Problem. Whatever. That stuff isn’t as interesting to me now—it’s interesting in general, but it’s not what I’m for; I’ve read it before.
The book really picks up whenever Schwartz considers how AVs affect city planning. Drawing again on history, he examines how we went from cities with no cars to cities built around cars and where we might go in the future. I loved his commentary on the differences between cities with “walkable” downtowns and cities without. For example, he points out that while people with cars tend to spend more per visit, pedestrians and cyclists tend to go to more stores because parking is less of an issue. This totally resonates with me: although I have a vehicle, I like to walk to the downtown as much as possible, because I hate finding parking. I’d rather walk down there and walk to each store, even if it takes a little more effort. Except now, it’s winter, so … yeah, no.
Many books in this vein are also relentlessly focused on the United States to the point of tunnel vision. This shouldn’t be notable, but it is: No One at the Wheel takes a more global perspective. Schwartz discusses American traffic, but he also talks about European, Australian, Indian, etc. traffic. He’s very careful to point out that AVs are not going to be adopted at the same pace or in the same way all over the world, and different jurisdictions with different cultures and histories are going to react differently. I appreciate this attention to detail from an American book by an American author.
At the end of the day, Schwartz’s thesis and biases are fairly clear. It isn’t so much about being pro- or anti-AV. Rather, he wants good transportation options for people. He wants AVs to be part of a larger, more holistic traffic strategy, rather than the be-all, end-all strategy, or something thought of as distinct or disjoint from the rest of traffic. Every example he brings up, every anecdote he shares from his experiences as an engineer and traffic commissioner, every point he makes, drives this home (pun intended): if we are to make the most of what AVs can do for us, we must consider how we can use AVs to make transit overall accessible, mobile, and affordable, instead of just letting AVs “happen” to us.
No One at the Wheel is an interesting, dynamic, thoughtful, and compassionate book by someone who knows what they’re talking about. It took my casual interest in autonomous vehicles and educated me, gave me lots to think about, and in some cases actually caused me to rethink a few of my opinions (I have largely been very pro-AV, but Schwartz has helped explain some of the possible negative side-effects of AVs that until now I kind of brushed aside). If this is a topic that you want to learn more about, then this book will help you achieve that goal.
November 10, 2018
It will be the best of times. It will be the worst of times. How will your life change when there is No One at the Wheel?
“Most transportation experts say that by 2075 driven cars will be completely replaced...By 2035, we may find that the majority of driving miles are completed by machines, not humans.”
In 2018, 1.3 million people are projected to die in road crashes with 50 million more injured. The need for a solution is clear. Autonomous vehicles are coming. Every major automobile company has one in development.
Will the resulting society be a utopia of staring at your phone continuously while your car drives you to work with no risk of accidents? Or will it cause massive disruption in the economy and overcrowded roadways? What will the one out of seven US residents who work in transportation do for a living? How will they be retrained and who will fund it? The decisions made now will determine our later fate.
No One at the Wheel shares the pros and cons of this new technological development. By making analogies to the development of the original cars, the author paints a dim view of the future of driven cars—as bleak as that of a horse and carriage in 1940.
I found both the history of cars and the potential of autonomous vehicles fascinating. But I’m still unsure what I can do personally to ensure a rosy outcome. No One at the Wheel is recommended for futurists and historians in equal measure. 3 stars.
Thanks to the publisher, PublicAffairs, and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
“Most transportation experts say that by 2075 driven cars will be completely replaced...By 2035, we may find that the majority of driving miles are completed by machines, not humans.”
In 2018, 1.3 million people are projected to die in road crashes with 50 million more injured. The need for a solution is clear. Autonomous vehicles are coming. Every major automobile company has one in development.
Will the resulting society be a utopia of staring at your phone continuously while your car drives you to work with no risk of accidents? Or will it cause massive disruption in the economy and overcrowded roadways? What will the one out of seven US residents who work in transportation do for a living? How will they be retrained and who will fund it? The decisions made now will determine our later fate.
No One at the Wheel shares the pros and cons of this new technological development. By making analogies to the development of the original cars, the author paints a dim view of the future of driven cars—as bleak as that of a horse and carriage in 1940.
I found both the history of cars and the potential of autonomous vehicles fascinating. But I’m still unsure what I can do personally to ensure a rosy outcome. No One at the Wheel is recommended for futurists and historians in equal measure. 3 stars.
Thanks to the publisher, PublicAffairs, and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 26, 2019
Has a lot of information, but if you have been paying attention to development of AVs and you have any interest or background in urban/transportation planning, you'll be covering familiar ground.
More importantly, I found it disorganized and repetitive, closer to a series of essays than a book. It is also complex in an unhelpful way, saying one thing and then saying, "but that might not happen."
I would still recommend this to someone curious about automated vehicles, but only if they had the most basic information about them.
More importantly, I found it disorganized and repetitive, closer to a series of essays than a book. It is also complex in an unhelpful way, saying one thing and then saying, "but that might not happen."
I would still recommend this to someone curious about automated vehicles, but only if they had the most basic information about them.
October 27, 2019
If just 10% of cars & trucks in the US were self-driving, the # of traffic deaths could be cut by 1,000 a year. If 90% were self-driving, the study predicts, 4.2 million crashes could be avoided, with 21,700 lives saved along with about $450 billion in related costs annually. Worldwide over a million lives could be saved.
Savings of a minimum of $5,600 per year average US household, which will add $1 trillion to the annual disposable income of US household, the single largest economic boost in US history.
We foresee another $1 trillion in productivity as people work, study or shop instead of wasting time behind the wheel.
The car data industry could be worth as much as $750 million by 2030.
Cost-effective for a family to give up one of their cars if they're driving it fewer than 6,213 miles a year. Car ownership has a lot of pain points. Family routine could be done with 1 AV instead of 2 private cars, but it doubles & even triples the # of miles driven because of all the trips back & forth transporting family members to work, school, & on errands. Note, the individually owned car is empty on up to 1/2 of the trips it makes-it's not taking anyone anywhere.
About 500 million parking spaces are available in the US, taking up 3,590 square miles, an area larger than Delaware & Rhode Island combined.
"Parking pain" in the US has a price tag estimated at $95.7 billion a year from fines, time wasted looking for a space, parking fees, fuel cost, & running out of time. For UK drivers, the cost is $39 billion, & German drivers runs to $56 billion.
In say 2025 you will have mayors, not only in Paris, [insist] that we don't want to have privately owned vehicles in the city. They will be forbidden. Paris will work with AV makers & fleet managers to make sure that only vehicles that provide a public service are allowed in the city's center.
Since 1983, the % of people with a drivers license has steadily decreased among 16 to 44 year olds.
2017 vehicle-miles-driven was 5.4% below the 2005 level, mainly because of the shift in millennials' travel & living habits. They are choosing to live in urban areas with public transportation & ride-sharing services are on the rise.
About 69% of 19-year-olds had a drivers license in 2014, compared with almost 90% in 1983. 10% of Americans who trade in their cars do not purchase a new one & opt instead to use ride-sharing services.
While about 53% of US households have at least 1 bike, 80% of German households, 63% of Italian households, & 59% of French households have a bike.
The tax plan of 2017 took away a current federal provision that allows people to exclude $20 a month from taxable income for "expense related to regular bicycle commuting." Moreover, ever since car ownership became a middle-class rite of passage, it has been assumed that individuals should own cars, & the more cars the better.
Between 1978 & 1996, the Dutch more than doubled an already massive network of bike paths & lanes, & the Germans tripled theirs from 1976 to 1995. To this day, Germany & Netherlands continue to increase the number of "bicycle streets" where cyclists have strict right-of-way.
In reality, in 2040 an Av may cost just $7,500. A number of reasons will bring the cost down-fewer moving parts, & advancements in manufacturing Technology. We will be far more likely to print an AV. We could order a car from AMZN or the local 3D printing shop & have a vehicle the next day.
AVs have the potential to transform our existing highways since these cars can travel in very precise paths, we may not need 12 foot wide lanes for 6 foot wide cars. A 36 foot wide, 3 lane roadway could become four 9 foot lanes at the cost of no more than new lane stripping.
2018 world nearly 1.3 million people will die in road crashes & an additional 50 million will be injured. I'd be able to tell the people of 1880 that even though the century ahead will be one of world wars, motor vehicles will be responsible for killing & maiming more people than all the 20-century wars combined.
Total recall where Arnold Schwarzenegger jumps into a driverless taxi was set in 2084, but most transportation experts say that by 2075 driven cars will have been completely replaced. Others say the days of driven cars will come to an end even sooner-by mid-century.
By 2025, hands-free driving may be as common as E-ZPass tags in the early 90s. By 2035, we may find that the majority of driving miles are by machines.
He estimates at least 1/2 of parking spaces will be gone especially if we go to fleet or mobility as a service.
Parking spaces outnumber drivers 3 to 1. Parking lots are not only the handmaidens of traffic congestion, they're temperature-boosting heat islands, as well as festering urban & suburban floodplains whose rapid storm-water runoff dumps motor oil & carcinogenic toxins like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (from shiny black seal coat) into the surrounding environment & overwhelmed sewer systems. They represent a depletion of energy & a shocking inefficient use of land.
8 to 74% of cars were looking for a parking spot with average cruising time somewhere between 3 & 13 minutes. Each space turns over 10 times daily, each of those spaces will generate 30 minutes of cruising a day.
One study found 1/3rd of cars entering Manhattan were headed to free or subsidized parking spots. If they were not free or subsidized, there would be fewer drivers during mourning rush hour.
Parking itself is responsible for up to 1/5th of all urban traffic collisions. Each spot generates 5 miles worth of driving a day & a heap of pollution.
Savings of a minimum of $5,600 per year average US household, which will add $1 trillion to the annual disposable income of US household, the single largest economic boost in US history.
We foresee another $1 trillion in productivity as people work, study or shop instead of wasting time behind the wheel.
The car data industry could be worth as much as $750 million by 2030.
Cost-effective for a family to give up one of their cars if they're driving it fewer than 6,213 miles a year. Car ownership has a lot of pain points. Family routine could be done with 1 AV instead of 2 private cars, but it doubles & even triples the # of miles driven because of all the trips back & forth transporting family members to work, school, & on errands. Note, the individually owned car is empty on up to 1/2 of the trips it makes-it's not taking anyone anywhere.
About 500 million parking spaces are available in the US, taking up 3,590 square miles, an area larger than Delaware & Rhode Island combined.
"Parking pain" in the US has a price tag estimated at $95.7 billion a year from fines, time wasted looking for a space, parking fees, fuel cost, & running out of time. For UK drivers, the cost is $39 billion, & German drivers runs to $56 billion.
In say 2025 you will have mayors, not only in Paris, [insist] that we don't want to have privately owned vehicles in the city. They will be forbidden. Paris will work with AV makers & fleet managers to make sure that only vehicles that provide a public service are allowed in the city's center.
Since 1983, the % of people with a drivers license has steadily decreased among 16 to 44 year olds.
2017 vehicle-miles-driven was 5.4% below the 2005 level, mainly because of the shift in millennials' travel & living habits. They are choosing to live in urban areas with public transportation & ride-sharing services are on the rise.
About 69% of 19-year-olds had a drivers license in 2014, compared with almost 90% in 1983. 10% of Americans who trade in their cars do not purchase a new one & opt instead to use ride-sharing services.
While about 53% of US households have at least 1 bike, 80% of German households, 63% of Italian households, & 59% of French households have a bike.
The tax plan of 2017 took away a current federal provision that allows people to exclude $20 a month from taxable income for "expense related to regular bicycle commuting." Moreover, ever since car ownership became a middle-class rite of passage, it has been assumed that individuals should own cars, & the more cars the better.
Between 1978 & 1996, the Dutch more than doubled an already massive network of bike paths & lanes, & the Germans tripled theirs from 1976 to 1995. To this day, Germany & Netherlands continue to increase the number of "bicycle streets" where cyclists have strict right-of-way.
In reality, in 2040 an Av may cost just $7,500. A number of reasons will bring the cost down-fewer moving parts, & advancements in manufacturing Technology. We will be far more likely to print an AV. We could order a car from AMZN or the local 3D printing shop & have a vehicle the next day.
AVs have the potential to transform our existing highways since these cars can travel in very precise paths, we may not need 12 foot wide lanes for 6 foot wide cars. A 36 foot wide, 3 lane roadway could become four 9 foot lanes at the cost of no more than new lane stripping.
2018 world nearly 1.3 million people will die in road crashes & an additional 50 million will be injured. I'd be able to tell the people of 1880 that even though the century ahead will be one of world wars, motor vehicles will be responsible for killing & maiming more people than all the 20-century wars combined.
Total recall where Arnold Schwarzenegger jumps into a driverless taxi was set in 2084, but most transportation experts say that by 2075 driven cars will have been completely replaced. Others say the days of driven cars will come to an end even sooner-by mid-century.
By 2025, hands-free driving may be as common as E-ZPass tags in the early 90s. By 2035, we may find that the majority of driving miles are by machines.
He estimates at least 1/2 of parking spaces will be gone especially if we go to fleet or mobility as a service.
Parking spaces outnumber drivers 3 to 1. Parking lots are not only the handmaidens of traffic congestion, they're temperature-boosting heat islands, as well as festering urban & suburban floodplains whose rapid storm-water runoff dumps motor oil & carcinogenic toxins like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (from shiny black seal coat) into the surrounding environment & overwhelmed sewer systems. They represent a depletion of energy & a shocking inefficient use of land.
8 to 74% of cars were looking for a parking spot with average cruising time somewhere between 3 & 13 minutes. Each space turns over 10 times daily, each of those spaces will generate 30 minutes of cruising a day.
One study found 1/3rd of cars entering Manhattan were headed to free or subsidized parking spots. If they were not free or subsidized, there would be fewer drivers during mourning rush hour.
Parking itself is responsible for up to 1/5th of all urban traffic collisions. Each spot generates 5 miles worth of driving a day & a heap of pollution.
March 14, 2019
Sam Schwartz is an important voice in the developing world of driverless cars because he was once the transportation czar for New York City. In other words, the book is worth reading.
Those already well versed in the field will not find much new here. But, it's a useful primer on the current rhetoric and expectations around driverless cars. It's useful precisely because it is so conventional.
Those already well versed in the field will not find much new here. But, it's a useful primer on the current rhetoric and expectations around driverless cars. It's useful precisely because it is so conventional.
June 9, 2019
The initial history of automobiles provided by the author proved interesting, however once the story broke into more current events, I found nothing that was truly groundbreaking. Much of the information could be gleaned from reading a few current news articles from the last 6-12 months. However, I do applaud the author for his knowledge of urban infrastructure and city planning.
January 3, 2019
I have never read another book on the topic, and I imagine many of them explore many of the same topics. However, this hit a really nice balance between very understandable to the general public, and robust enough for industry professionals. The author has decades of experience in transportation, and sees to take a very holistic view of the topic- giving plenty of importance to the less glamorous and new-fangled methods of transportation.
There are lots of applicable, and sometimes surprising, topics in this book- the first that comes to mind is the potential indirect effect of increased sedentariness, and its associated health sequelae.
The book is neither "for" nor "against" AVs; rather it cautions us not to get so wrapped up in the hype that we forget basic human behavior and common sense, and ignore all the transportation choices we have made in the not too distant past. The author is not afraid to reveal his own evolution in thought and mistakes as to what actually works in transportation.
This quote, towards the end of the book (p. 213) sums up the author's unique perspective: "I was struck by how little the attendees (at a radical transportation summit) knew about urban transportation, how enamored they were with gadgets, and how much they were complicating things, at every distance, à la Rube Goldberg. When it came my turn to present, the solution I proposed for trips of less than a mile- and more than half of urban trips are this short- was shoes, available since 1600 BC."
All in all, an excellent primer on automated vehicles (AVs). I recommend it not for those who are interested in AVs, transportation, or the future; but for anyone who ever uses a road.
There are lots of applicable, and sometimes surprising, topics in this book- the first that comes to mind is the potential indirect effect of increased sedentariness, and its associated health sequelae.
The book is neither "for" nor "against" AVs; rather it cautions us not to get so wrapped up in the hype that we forget basic human behavior and common sense, and ignore all the transportation choices we have made in the not too distant past. The author is not afraid to reveal his own evolution in thought and mistakes as to what actually works in transportation.
This quote, towards the end of the book (p. 213) sums up the author's unique perspective: "I was struck by how little the attendees (at a radical transportation summit) knew about urban transportation, how enamored they were with gadgets, and how much they were complicating things, at every distance, à la Rube Goldberg. When it came my turn to present, the solution I proposed for trips of less than a mile- and more than half of urban trips are this short- was shoes, available since 1600 BC."
All in all, an excellent primer on automated vehicles (AVs). I recommend it not for those who are interested in AVs, transportation, or the future; but for anyone who ever uses a road.
July 4, 2021
Gridlock Sam is an important figure for modern urban planning and transportation policy. His work has created a strong foundation upon which transportation planners will continue to strive, particularly as cities consider instituting congestion pricing and other cutting edge policy programs. This book continues those contributions by describing how cities and communities should use livability principles to improve design and access. However, as others have said, the book says little that hasn't already been said. To many, he'll simply be preaching to the choir, without contributing new knowledge or perspectives. That said, I still think there is value in bundling it all together in a book, and I appreciated that about the book.
My biggest disappointment with the book is that, as he notes in the appendix, he assumes AVs equal level 5 vehicles, basically cars that can drive anywhere with no specific pre-analysis needed, much like a licensed driver today can simply hop in a car and drive without foreknowledge about the journey. Industry experts are in near universal agreement that such a version of an AV is many decades away and may never be achievable. Instead, AV innovators are working towards automating driving for specific limited operational design domains, such as a downtown area or a highway network or any parking garage, domains that can be heavily mapped and studied.
His book still represents an important journey through policy values and considerations, but I found it hard to get past his odd assumption that L5 systems will dominate. In general, I took the book as a useful urban planning book but not necessarily a useful book about AVs.
My biggest disappointment with the book is that, as he notes in the appendix, he assumes AVs equal level 5 vehicles, basically cars that can drive anywhere with no specific pre-analysis needed, much like a licensed driver today can simply hop in a car and drive without foreknowledge about the journey. Industry experts are in near universal agreement that such a version of an AV is many decades away and may never be achievable. Instead, AV innovators are working towards automating driving for specific limited operational design domains, such as a downtown area or a highway network or any parking garage, domains that can be heavily mapped and studied.
His book still represents an important journey through policy values and considerations, but I found it hard to get past his odd assumption that L5 systems will dominate. In general, I took the book as a useful urban planning book but not necessarily a useful book about AVs.
August 24, 2019
Gridlock Sam was a feature of the New York City transportation scene in the 80s, and continues to bring us plenty of good advice about managing our roadways and pedestrian traffic. The author connects the early development of the automobile to our current development of automated cars. He pleads with us to keep the human walker in mind -- there's plenty of money on the side of the car, and the transportation industry; but little money to be made defending the pedestrian's ability to walk. He posits interesting theories about the bicyclist lobby preparing the way for -- and being overtaken by -- the automobile lobby. To my mind, the answer is always "follow the money" to figure why a new technology gets society to accede to its demands. I was a bit disappointed that Mr.Schwartz did not treat with my own personal crusade, for traffic circles to replace stoplights. I'm sure he has an opinion about it!
His entertaining voice comes through in most of the book, with personal asides and some repeating of ideas, and a practical approach to problem-solving. The most important warning that I take away regards the likelihood that automated vehicles will demand pure roadways -- i.e. roadways with no humans to mess it up or confuse the computer, thus banning pedestrians and bicyclists from more locations. Yikes: what price progress? Let's insist on the primacy of the human.
Three stars? It is an important book, but it's not literature, and frankly of limited interest to most people -- but it should be essential reading for anyone who deals with transportation issues.
His entertaining voice comes through in most of the book, with personal asides and some repeating of ideas, and a practical approach to problem-solving. The most important warning that I take away regards the likelihood that automated vehicles will demand pure roadways -- i.e. roadways with no humans to mess it up or confuse the computer, thus banning pedestrians and bicyclists from more locations. Yikes: what price progress? Let's insist on the primacy of the human.
Three stars? It is an important book, but it's not literature, and frankly of limited interest to most people -- but it should be essential reading for anyone who deals with transportation issues.
November 7, 2019
What are the potential impacts of driverless cars/automated vehicles (AVs)? Let us count the ways.
Severe disruption in municipal budgets (no longer reliant upon traffic and speeding fines). The necessity for new traffic infrastructure. New laws (local, state, and federal). New jobs created, and perhaps many old jobs eliminated. Parking will be dramatically disrupted.
And those are just the reasonably forecastable impacts. There are also either/or impacts that we cannot yet predict.
For instance, will people purchase AVs or summon them as needed? If it's the former, then don't expect traffic to improve. Will cities embrace AVs as primary means of transportation, or expand mass transit and utilize AVs as last-mile solutions? Will AVs usher in a new era of equanimity as we zoom along like Jetsons, or will we all be forced to travel at relatively slow, uninspiring speeds due to safety concerns? Will pedestrians be empowered? If so, will they use their power nefariously to fool AVs into stopping indiscriminately? Will AVs improve or exacerbate inequality? Will AVs facilitate terrorism? Will AVs be sentient?
Samuel Schwartz, former New York City traffic commissioner and chief engineer for transportation, dives deep into these issues and more in "No One at the Wheel: Driverless Cars and the Road of the Future." It is an essential book – a primer, perhaps, for the future we're driving toward.
Severe disruption in municipal budgets (no longer reliant upon traffic and speeding fines). The necessity for new traffic infrastructure. New laws (local, state, and federal). New jobs created, and perhaps many old jobs eliminated. Parking will be dramatically disrupted.
And those are just the reasonably forecastable impacts. There are also either/or impacts that we cannot yet predict.
For instance, will people purchase AVs or summon them as needed? If it's the former, then don't expect traffic to improve. Will cities embrace AVs as primary means of transportation, or expand mass transit and utilize AVs as last-mile solutions? Will AVs usher in a new era of equanimity as we zoom along like Jetsons, or will we all be forced to travel at relatively slow, uninspiring speeds due to safety concerns? Will pedestrians be empowered? If so, will they use their power nefariously to fool AVs into stopping indiscriminately? Will AVs improve or exacerbate inequality? Will AVs facilitate terrorism? Will AVs be sentient?
Samuel Schwartz, former New York City traffic commissioner and chief engineer for transportation, dives deep into these issues and more in "No One at the Wheel: Driverless Cars and the Road of the Future." It is an essential book – a primer, perhaps, for the future we're driving toward.
July 3, 2019
I loved this book for giving me a new way to think about the future of transportation. The best gift of this read was the idea that the context of driving would change. Insurance, car ownership, lane widths, parking demand, and the other options that people might have when considering how to get from point A to point B. Driverless cars may change opportunities: for instance, you don't have to have a designated driver to get you home after a party, blind people could travel alone in a car the way that others take for granted, and the potential for more people to have access to cars when needed which diminishes the importance of geography in employment opportunities, especially in rural areas.
I also appreciated the author's credentials, and his ability to speak about what various cities have tried in the effort to optimize traffic flow and pedestrian safety.
And for those who may be transit planners in little towns like Missoula MT, this message is for you: Transit Riders won't consider transit a solution if the ride doesn't come along at least every 7 minutes. Missoula, a 57 minute wait for the next bus is not a solution. Indeed, in the winter the snow plows come along more frequently than that.
I also appreciated the author's credentials, and his ability to speak about what various cities have tried in the effort to optimize traffic flow and pedestrian safety.
And for those who may be transit planners in little towns like Missoula MT, this message is for you: Transit Riders won't consider transit a solution if the ride doesn't come along at least every 7 minutes. Missoula, a 57 minute wait for the next bus is not a solution. Indeed, in the winter the snow plows come along more frequently than that.
December 29, 2018
This book was insightful yet dry at times.
I think the parts that stuck out to me was the history of vehicles, how when vehicles first hit the streets, laws prioritized them over pedestrians, how its important for the purpose of public health to offer variety of transit, the difference between accessibility and mobility, the probable dangers to privacy and the necessity to have clear laws before allowing AVs, the idea that AVs in the future may look nothing like what our cars look like now, how we shouldn't be building more parking garages... How we could narrow our lanes...
I listened to this book as an audiobook as I drove around LA and the OC right after my brother purchased an ebike.
I think as a consumer, this book provided lots of good food for thought and I'd love to be in a society with more car shares, less phantom traffic, and cars used to full capacity.
There's a fresh air interview with Terry Gross floating around so if you don't have time to read, try listening to that.
My ultimate takeaways: it's fine to walk!
I think the parts that stuck out to me was the history of vehicles, how when vehicles first hit the streets, laws prioritized them over pedestrians, how its important for the purpose of public health to offer variety of transit, the difference between accessibility and mobility, the probable dangers to privacy and the necessity to have clear laws before allowing AVs, the idea that AVs in the future may look nothing like what our cars look like now, how we shouldn't be building more parking garages... How we could narrow our lanes...
I listened to this book as an audiobook as I drove around LA and the OC right after my brother purchased an ebike.
I think as a consumer, this book provided lots of good food for thought and I'd love to be in a society with more car shares, less phantom traffic, and cars used to full capacity.
There's a fresh air interview with Terry Gross floating around so if you don't have time to read, try listening to that.
My ultimate takeaways: it's fine to walk!
January 14, 2019
Thoroughly researched, with 40 pages of references. Almost too in depth for what I was wanting, but some great takeaways and thought provoking stuff.
Right now, all AV thinking is off existing vehicle design. What if a car is designed solely with being an autonomous vehicle and not integrating autonomy into existing vehicles?
We should not consider widening Highway Lanes to increase capacity. Although politicians and others like to think that making more Road will reduce congestion, it is more often the case if you build it they will come more roads often lead to more cars induced traffic. There's no point in building 100-year infrastructure now that we may need for only 10 to 20 years.
Reduced need for parking lots as cars will be continually driving. 500 million parking spots in the US taking up 3590 square miles in area larger than Delaware in Rhode Island combined. About 268 million registered cars are in use mean that there are about two parking spaces per car in this country.
Right now, all AV thinking is off existing vehicle design. What if a car is designed solely with being an autonomous vehicle and not integrating autonomy into existing vehicles?
We should not consider widening Highway Lanes to increase capacity. Although politicians and others like to think that making more Road will reduce congestion, it is more often the case if you build it they will come more roads often lead to more cars induced traffic. There's no point in building 100-year infrastructure now that we may need for only 10 to 20 years.
Reduced need for parking lots as cars will be continually driving. 500 million parking spots in the US taking up 3590 square miles in area larger than Delaware in Rhode Island combined. About 268 million registered cars are in use mean that there are about two parking spaces per car in this country.
June 16, 2021
Samuel I Schwartz’s No One at the Wheel: Driverless Cars and the Road of the Future provides a glimpse at the promises and pitfalls of self-driving cars—with the right policies driving could become safer and lead to an overall better transportation system.
However, there is also the possibility, as Schwartz cautions, that roads could become more congested, vehicles could be vulnerable to hacking and misuse of data, and pedestrians and bicyclists could find themselves once again cut out of the transportation system like they were in the earlier days of automobile.
Ultimately time will tell whether self-driving cars make our lives better or worse.
However, there is also the possibility, as Schwartz cautions, that roads could become more congested, vehicles could be vulnerable to hacking and misuse of data, and pedestrians and bicyclists could find themselves once again cut out of the transportation system like they were in the earlier days of automobile.
Ultimately time will tell whether self-driving cars make our lives better or worse.
January 10, 2026
This was a pretty comprehensive, big-picture look at what kind of effects the widespread introduction of driver-less cars would have on the world.
The author has some serious bias in some significant areas- indicating leftist, big-city, authorities-know-best thinking, with a dash of climate hyper-sensationalism in several places- HOWEVER, I believe he did his due diligence in analyzing and extrapolating meaningful conclusions from *most* of the hard data he reviewed.
That said, I think it's a worthwhile read; the data and conclusions are still certainly worthy of debate, but the problems and other considerations observed by the reader are definitely relevant and applicable for a world that may not truly be ready to fully incorporate automated vehicles into it...until after a whole lot more planning and soul-searching is done by all of us.
The author has some serious bias in some significant areas- indicating leftist, big-city, authorities-know-best thinking, with a dash of climate hyper-sensationalism in several places- HOWEVER, I believe he did his due diligence in analyzing and extrapolating meaningful conclusions from *most* of the hard data he reviewed.
That said, I think it's a worthwhile read; the data and conclusions are still certainly worthy of debate, but the problems and other considerations observed by the reader are definitely relevant and applicable for a world that may not truly be ready to fully incorporate automated vehicles into it...until after a whole lot more planning and soul-searching is done by all of us.
June 5, 2019
Transportation expert, Samuel Schwartz analyzes and ponders about good/bad/ugly potential changes autonomous vehicles (AV) might bring in near future. The book covers the topic thoroughly and give many points to think about.
I was surprised how fast AVs may replace our error-prone human driving cars, the author mentioned experts predict 100% replacement may happen by 2075 or as early as 2050. AV is exciting with lots of potential benefits. But the author emphasize it would be important how we handle the transition to bring out such potentials. I agree with the author on the point that such changes (or any other technological advances) should be done for overall human well-being - not as to bring most money in a handful of business and people.
I was surprised how fast AVs may replace our error-prone human driving cars, the author mentioned experts predict 100% replacement may happen by 2075 or as early as 2050. AV is exciting with lots of potential benefits. But the author emphasize it would be important how we handle the transition to bring out such potentials. I agree with the author on the point that such changes (or any other technological advances) should be done for overall human well-being - not as to bring most money in a handful of business and people.
September 16, 2019
Writing a book in the midst of a change before it plays out is a huge challenge. This book is a great summary of the key issues facing autonomous cars and the ways they can or cannot rework cities and society. It's hard to know how much of what is forecast in the book will happen but the book itself is a good primer for anyone who has an interest in the future of societies. As someone in the real estate space, I read it to learn more about how this technology will impact cities. Imagine a city with far fewer parking garages, fewer (if any) cars lining the streets and a steady steam of ceaseless cars. Imagine a suburban neighborhood without driveways or malls without parking lots. The potential is dizzying, the reality may be a bit slower to occur.
April 7, 2024
This is dated now (2017 timeframe) and the progress has stalled based on inflation, technical challenges, interest rates, and industry consolidation. The author mostly poses questions with limited practical solutions. He also takes a pedestrian bias, which is likely a necessary consideration but I am not sure it should get the weight he gives it. I look forward to industry breaking out of this plateau.
December 16, 2018
Three stars instead of two because the topic is so compelling and there are thought-provoking passages about the possibilities and concerns entailed, but there are too many digressions and lists of statistics for a general-interest audience. There’s a good book in there if you want to skim and find it.
Read
January 20, 2021When I reviewed his book Street Smart, I said, "he's a self-driving car foot-dragger". Not anymore.
My main disagreement with him is mass transit. He pictures autonomous cars feeding people to autonomous busses and traditional trains. I picture small, light one-person vehicles doing most of the work.
My main disagreement with him is mass transit. He pictures autonomous cars feeding people to autonomous busses and traditional trains. I picture small, light one-person vehicles doing most of the work.
September 6, 2018
I got a free advance review copy of this book from NetGalley and wrote a Washington-DC-centric review of it for the blog Greater Greater Washington. See the review here.
April 16, 2019
Good knowledge out of it but the same could be said in half the pages. But you can,t publish a 100 page book. This is only 216. Sam Schwartz is smart and I like his view on driverless cars and especially his belief that the public should be in charge of the laws vs. the manufacturers.
May 8, 2019
Lots of issues and questions and some answers and much expert opinion. Predicting the future is difficult but it is coming soon! Bottom line: walk, ride a bike, take public transportation when you can.
February 21, 2025
Very interesting, some valid observations and predictions, ideas and suggestions. The good thing is that it doesn't only look at USA, but the world as a whole.
The revolution will not happen overnight, it will be a long process...
The revolution will not happen overnight, it will be a long process...
January 29, 2019
Excellent work abounds with facts and future visions.
March 10, 2019
Taken notes on note pad
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2019
I didn't finish because it was a bit rambling and I had to take it back to the library. I enjoyed the philosophical questions and future possibilities.
February 25, 2020
Way too much speculation.
March 19, 2020
Interesting read.
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