Integrating A-Ways into existing buildings will challenge
innovators, with all sorts of interesting results. The real excitement, in my
view, will be the impact A-Ways have on new buildings and communities, and the
impetus for new cultural movements.
Small Autonomous Vehicles, such as Mini-Mobility Vehicles, can
run suspended from ceilings, especially in commercial buildings that have
higher ceilings (our local ice cream shop, Wilsons, has a model railroad running
suspended from the ceiling). These vehicles could ride the tops of existing elevators and
the bottoms of stairways – imagine a ramp a foot or so below the steps – you wouldn’t notice the loss of a foot from the ceiling … unless you are tall, as I
am. J
In existing cities we may
see A-Ways attached to the outsides of buildings crossing above streets. The most
famous existing example may be the “skybridge”
Skybridges
have a long history, and we can anticipate more connections, as in this example from Atlanta. As
A-Ways become even more useful, we will probably see connections at each floor
level.
For larger Autonomous Vehicles, such as Personal Transport
Vehicles, more ingenuity will be needed. In future posts I will discuss other innovative
solutions, such as median strips, and elevated A-Ways.
Major
innovations will be multi-purpose structures including space for other activities,
such as walking, jogging, biking, and relaxing. Shops and stores will be
integrated into these structures, creating whole new linear communities. When I
go through Penn Station in New York city, I like to get interesting food at one
of the many shops there, it’s a miniature city.
For now, let me start you thinking about what this means for
new buildings and communities. A-Ways will become part of the design
requirements, just like plumbing, heating, and other “utilities.” As Autonomous Vehicles provide more functions
in daily life, and I will give you lots to think about with these, A-Ways will
become even more influential in building and community design.
What do you think a community would look like if
we have high speed A-Ways concealed inside buildings, using Continuous Convoys
and En Route Sequencing? If 5 minutes on an A-Way can take you 5 miles in a
straight line, but taking a single right turn doubles the time, I predict cities may
look more linear than today’s grids.
