Car culture
Basics
Drivers Are Still Top Polluters, Even During Quarantine
Not even months of quarantine orders that confined millions of Americans to their homes were enough to unseat passenger vehicle trips as the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, a new study finds.
January 14, 2021
Could Augmented Reality Windshields End Distracted Driving?
If a new style of head-up design works as designed, cars will be safer.
January 13, 2021
Study: E-Taxis Increase Private Car Ownership in Many Cities
"Ride-hailing" apps once lauded for their potential to help end private car ownership are actually increasing it in many cities, a new study finds.
January 8, 2021
Op-Ed: Car Dependency is An Unequal Burden
Automobile-dependent planning has changed automobiles from a luxury into a necessity. Excessive vehicle costs leave many households without money to purchase essential food, shelter and healthcare. They need more affordable transportation options.
December 24, 2020
Feds Hail Lower Road Deaths But Crashes, Injuries Increased
Walking and cycling fatalities on U.S. roadways declined slightly in 2019 — but total crashes and injuries increased, according to just-released final federal numbers for last year.
December 18, 2020
What Biden’s Other Cabinet Picks Might Mean For Sustainable Transportation
Pete Buttigieg drew most of the attention earlier this week, but two other key cabinet appointments this week could signal that electric vehicles remain at the center of the President-elect's climate strategy — despite evidence that transit, walking and biking is far more critical to cutting greenhouse gases.
December 17, 2020
Was 2020 The Year Driverless Cars Became Inevitable?
It may not immediately look like it, but 2020 may have been the year when autonomous vehicles became inevitable. An overview.
December 15, 2020
Four Ways Cars Pollute Our Lives — Besides the Tailpipe
Even if we electrified our entire vehicle fleet overnight, car pollution would still make us and the planet sick — and policymakers should start pushing for strong policy to mitigate the impacts of non-tailpipe emissions now, a new study finds.
December 14, 2020
‘A City is a Series of Choices Over Time’: Roman Mars Reveals the Secret Histories That Shape Our Streets
Roman Mars's new book builds on the universe of fascinating stories he explores in the "99 Percent Invisible" podcast, and reveals a range of dazzling histories hidden in our streets and roads.
December 11, 2020
Can COVID-19 Finally Kill the Highway Boondoggle?
America was already faced with the need to make critical transportation investments. And then COVID-19 hit, upending travel patterns and undercutting the traditional sources of government transportation revenue.
December 11, 2020