Cities Are Not Prepared for Autonomous Vehicles. —Here’s How Should They.

Autonomous vehicles are arriving, but cities aren’t ready. Ten years ago, cities were energized by the promise of autonomous vehicles. In 2015, the buzz was loud. Cities ran pilots, hosted workshops, and published white papers. But the tech wasn’t ready. Cities grew disillusioned. Now the tech is real—and scaling. But the cities? Most U.S. cities […]

Governance Models for AV Deployment in Cities.

JZ AVs are not the problem. Governing them is. We’ve studied global experiments in London, Boston, Singapore, Stockholm, and beyond—and developed six governance models for AV deployment in cities: 🔹 1. Laissez-Faire No public intervention. Pure market competition. AV providers cherry-pick the most profitable areas. Innovation thrives—but often with little regard for public interest. Can […]

Six Questions Each City Needs to Ask in AV Adoption

JZ Here are six questions each city needs to ask in AV Adoption: Ownership model or access model? ⬅️ today’s focus Single-occupancy or ride sharing? ⬅️ today’s focus Integrate with public transit or not? Rational pricing structure or not? Coordinated with land-use planning or not? Access for all vs. cherry-pick market? Question 1: Ownership model […]

Ecosystem Alignments: What China’s EV Surge Teaches the U.S.

JZ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00h4g6QtErE&list=TLGGB26O-JOpmLIwODEwMjAyNQ Trade wars don’t build industries. Ecosystem alignments do. As tariffs escalate between the U.S. and China, electric vehicles (EVs) are the newest casualty. But the real threat isn’t foreign competition—it’s domestic inaction. While the U.S. protects its turf, China is building an electric future. Two Countries, Two Trajectories The U.S. is stuck in […]

Three simple suggestions for preparing your PhD defense

JZ Suggestion #1: 5% + 90% + 5% → 10% + 70% + 20% Most students allocate their defense time like this: Introduction: 5% Main body of research: 90% Conclusion: 5% Don’t do that. Instead, aim for: Introduction: 10% Main body of research: 70% Conclusion: 20% A deeper introduction Precision is essential but not the […]

Who’s in Charge? — Human Agency in AV Deployment

Businesses that master the Human-Agency Matrix use AVs as service partners to create value. Cities, likewise, can use AVs as teammates—advancing safety, climate, and social goals. Who is in charge? When you step into an autonomous vehicle (AV), you relinquish lower-level controls—acceleration, braking, lane changes. Most riders barely notice and happily let go. When an […]

States Write the Laws. Cities Bear the Consequences. Resolving the State-City Tension in Autonomous Vehicle Regulation

JZ Part 1: States Write the Laws. Cities Bear the Consequences. The arrival of AVs on city streets is not the first technological disruption to challenge urban transportation governance. Before robotaxis, there were ridehailing giants: the aggressive state-level preemption battles by Uber and Lyft. The Déjà Vu of Disruption Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) entered cities […]