We recently developed ‘Unintended Consequences,’ a research and workshopping tool which helps to explore and unpack the consequences of a change on a system, such as a new technology, policy or social shift. Using this tool, we explored the unintended consequences of AVs, identifying over one hundred scenarios which anticipate how they might impact society. Here, we’ve decided to explore five of these scenarios which demonstrate that some of the most disruptive changes of AVs will be felt far outside the reach of the transport sector:
1. The death of convenience by proximity
2. Not all roads are created equal
3. Sprawling autonomous cities
4. On the move, yet sedentary
5. New urban spaces
Each scenario begins with a snapshot story to immerse you in that future; followed by an explanation of how we got there; what we can do about it; analogous examples which demonstrate that these scenarios are more plausible than we might think, and finally a call to take action, which suggests ways you can impact this scenario.
Find out more about Unintended Consequences here.