“ Sensor-laden self-driving vehicles , which can communicate with one another to maintain safe distances , will need less assistance at road crossings . As a result , slot-based intersections , modelled after air traffic control systems , could replace traffic lights .
“ On approaching an intersection , a vehicle would be assigned an individualised time , or “ slot ,” to pass through the intersection – increasing throughput and making better use of the urban infrastructure .”
This shift also aligns with developing infrastructure for cyclists as smart cities also incorporate docked cycling and scooter arrangements to provide consumers with simple , nimble transport options .
“ We can already imagine a not-too-distant future of self-driving cars where your vehicle can give you a lift to work , and then , instead of sitting parked until you return home , give a lift to someone else in your family , or anyone else in the city ,” Ratti explains .
“ The combination of the two above phenomena – car-sharing and ride-sharing – could drastically reduce the total number of cars in a given city .”
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