Automakers and tech companies are closer than ever to delivering self-driving technology to the masses. The urban areas that will host these vehicles, by contrast, aren?t quite up to speed. With many companies firming up deployment plans within the next two or three years, cities are still figuring out how to brace for the first wave of autonomous vehicles. That?s troublesome, cautions a new report from the National League of Cities.
?We know it?s happening, we know it?s coming, we just don?t know how to prepare,? said Nicole DuPuis, principal associate for urban innovation for the NLC and co-author of the report. ?It?s happening at a much more rapid pace than we all imagined.?
The report, Autonomous Vehicles: A Policy Preparation Guide, draws insights from the Federal Automated Vehicles Policy published in September 2016 and provides guidance for city managers and local governments.
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?The big takeaway here is that this is all happening much more quickly than we anticipated.?

? Nicole DuPuis, National League of Cities

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Proposed preparations may be geared toward policy wonks, but they should earn the attention and consideration of industry executives as well. While much autonomous development lies with the technology itself, that?s only half the path to deployment. The successful rollout of these vehicles is intertwined with the ability of consumers and cities to accept them.
From a city perspective, planning for their arrival involves everything from the pragmatic?...