July 3, 2018
Professor Shauna Brail‘s remarks to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual conference on June 3, 2018 have been published online by Policy Options Politiques in the article How partnerships can help cities cope with technological disruption.
Brail discusses the impact of autonomous vehicles as well as other disruptive mobility innovations, ride-hailing in particular:
The leading-edge innovation that has been particularly disruptive is ride-hailing, which makes use of the widespread adoption of smartphones, GPS and wireless Internet to digitally match up nonprofessional drivers of private vehicles with paying passengers.
She touches on many aspects of the transformation of transportation, concluding that society should work together to secure positive outcomes:
Mobility is undergoing a transformation that has the potential to reshape all cities and communities in Canada. Working together, we can and should direct that transformation. And this goal is achievable through policy, economic development opportunities and multisectoral partnerships.
Shauna Brail is Director & Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Urban Studies Program, and Senior Associate, Innovation Policy Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs.