Portland Public Library

Reinventing the automobile, personal urban mobility for the 21st century, William J. Mitchell, Christopher E. Borroni-Bird, and Lawrence D. Burns

eng

Includes bibliographical references (p. [209]-212) and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Reinventing the automobile

bibliography

426065776

William J. Mitchell, Christopher E. Borroni-Bird, and Lawrence D. Burns

personal urban mobility for the 21st century

This book provides a long-overdue vision for a new automobile era. The cars we drive today follow the same underlying design principles as the Model Ts of a hundred years ago. In the twenty-first century, cars are still made for twentieth-century purposes. They're well suited for conveying multiple passengers over long distances at high speeds, but inefficient for providing personal mobility within cities- where most of the world's people now live. William Mitchell and two industry experts reimagine the automobile, describing vehicles of the near future that are green, smart, connected, and fun to drive. They roll out four big ideas that will make this both feasible and timely. First, we must transform the DNA of the automobile, basing it on electric-drive and wireless communication rather than on petroleum and the internal combustion engine. This allows vehicles to become lighter, cleaner, and "smart" enough to avoid crashes and traffic jams. Second, automobiles need to be linked by a Mobility Internet that allows them to collect and share data on traffic conditions, intelligently coordinates their movements, and keeps drivers connected to their social networks. Third, automobiles must be recharged through a convenient, cost-effective infrastructure that is integrated with smart electric grids and makes increasing use of renewable energy sources. Finally, dynamically priced markets for electricity, road space, parking space, and shared-use vehicles must be introduced to provide optimum management of urban mobility and energy systems

The new DNA of the automobile -- The mobility Internet -- Reinventing the automobile for urban use -- Clean, smart energy supply -- Charging infrastructure -- Integrating vehicles and smart electric grids -- New mobility markets -- Personal mobility in an urbanizing world -- Realizing the vision