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Friday’s Headlines Gaze Into the Future

Driverless cars still face challenges but seem more inevitable than ever. There are two ways it could go.

Photo: Waltarrrr, CC|

Uber partnered with Cruise to expand its fleet of autonomous taxis to more cities.

  • Tech writer John Hermann at New York Magazine lays out two possible futures for self-driving cars: one where Uber and Lyft's robotaxis become ubiquitous, and another predicted by Elon Musk where people own a personal vehicle and occasionally rent it out like an Airbnb.
  • AI could help stop train wrecks by detecting flaws in switchrails that are hard to inspect and fix, and will be more easily damaged as trains get faster. (Fast Company)
  • Decades of sprawl contributed to the recent L.A. wildfires that have destroyed entire neighborhoods, and it looks like the city is going to make the same mistakes again. (The Guardian)
  • Because lithium batteries burn so hot, abandoned electric vehicles are making it harder to put the fires out. (Jalopnik)
  • With Donald Trump about to take office, California regulators are abandoning a rule change requiring diesel locomotives to be replaced with zero-emissions models by 2030. (Trains)
  • Chicago transit officials are pushing the Illinois legislature for a $1.5 billion funding package that would stave off potential 40 percent service cuts. (CityLab)
  • The Utah Transit Authority is restoring bus routes cut during the pandemic and adding frequency on others after a 16 percent jump in ridership last year. (Salt Lake Tribune)
  • Plans for Austin's Project Connect light rail line also involve replacing car capacity with space for bikes, pedestrians and transit along the corridor. (KXAN)
  • Maryland officials confirmed that Baltimore will get to keep a large federal grant to replace aging light rail cars. (Banner)
  • San Diego's seven most dangerous intersections are getting new safety features. (Union-Tribune)
  • Pittsburgh requires property owners to pay for their installation and maintenance, so no wonder the city's sidewalk network is so inadequate. (City Paper)
  • Fort Worth's new bikeshare system started operating this week. (NBC DFW)
  • Colorado Springs voters may decide the long-debated issue of whether to allow e-bikes on trails for non-motorized vehicles. (Government Technology)
  • An Oregon bill would ban some especially fast e-bikes from using sidewalks and bike lanes. (KATU)
  • Some Montana legislators literally want to force cyclists to ride the wrong way. (Cycling West)

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