An urban design response to the technological shift in transportation: How to conduct urban design with vehicle automation, sharing and connectivity

Abstract

Recent developments in vehicle automation, connectivity, electro-mobility and ridesharing platforms are expected to transform urban mobility patterns and consequently reshape urban form. Historically we have seen that introduction of new transportation technologies has influenced new urban models and altered development patterns. An often-cited example in this regard is the rise of the private automobile which brought about a rise in suburban development. Urban form and transport flows have a complex two-way relationship where changes in one has repercussions on the other. Given this interdependency, the impacts of the recent technological developments, collectively termed as the ‘technological shift in transportation’, must be investigated within urban design and planning disciplines. There is enormous uncertainty surrounding how the technological shift in transportation may impact cities, and urban design and planning can play a decisive role in steering these impacts. The efficiencies and safety benefits of vehicle automation have been widely stated in support of its widespread implementation. At the same time, critics warn against dire environmental and social consequences of reckless implementations that do not take into consideration the complex interdependencies of the technology with the broader social, economic and physical context. This research examines the impacts of the technological shift in transportation on cities and urban form and searches for appropriate methods to conduct urban design in this context. The interplay of urban form and transport flows is investigated by integrating multi-agent simulations within the urban design workflow, through a series of ‘Design Experiments’. Singapore’s residential New Town model is chosen as a test site to conduct these design experiments, which aim to understand what design strategies can help us maximise the benefits of the technological shift and minimise its potential risks. Piecemeal design strategies are assessed through simulations to understand changes in transport flows over time and study emergent patterns. These insights inform a set of urban design and planning strategies in response to the technological shift in transportation a new structural model of the Singapore New Town for the short, mid and long term future. These proposals range from retrofitting the New Town in the short term to modifying the model structurally in the mid-term, moving towards a radically different ‘Post-Road City’ in the long term.