Impacts of Emerging Technology on Development

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• How emerging technologies are impacting developers and development
• How to address the impacts of emerging technologies on cities
• How these emerging technologies will impact the work of planners

MORE SESSION DETAILS

Advances in technology such as the advent of autonomous vehicles (AVs), the rise of e-commerce, and the proliferation of the sharing economy are having profound effects not only on how we live, move, and spend our time in cities but also on urban form and development itself. Current development models and assumptions will have to change. A significant decrease in the demand for parking will change how businesses use space, as well as increase the amount of land available for development. If people go farther out to find housing, the cost of housing should decrease. A looming question with not only AVs but the entire shift to mobility as a service is that mobility will become easier and more affordable. AVs are widely seen as having a significant impact on transit ridership, and it remains to be seen if transit-oriented development (TOD) will be as important in the future as location of transit becomes less important to riders. Examine where these changes will be felt first and how quickly they will come about.