AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
How can cities have active input in
infrastructure investment decisions?
The NHTSA policy guide shows a real interest in
the infrastructure investment that would make
this technology safe.20 Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V)
and Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) technology
are examples of technologies developed by
manufacturers which can ensure greater
safety and connectivity. Cities should not only
encourage such investment, but become an
active investment partner.
Cities can try to negotiate matching loans from
state infrastructure banks or other financing
vehicles to match any local investment in this
infrastructure. Besides the obvious benefits
of greater investment towards these mobility
technologies, the added investment on the
part of cities puts their skin in the game and
empowers cities to have more of a direct say
over implementation, both on a municipal and
regional scale. Moreover, policies should be
considered that ensure diversified approaches to
funding future infrastructure needs.
How can cities best take advantage of any new
infrastructure investment?
Municipalities across the country face shortfalls
between their projected infrastructure
expenditure needs and what they have to finance
these needs. As state and national attention turn
towards infrastructure investment, particularly
as new technologies mandate an increased
investment, cities should place themselves to
take advantage of these trends. Cities can link
funding with new technologies to additional
funding for capital improvements as well as
existing maintenance. On a national level, an
opportunity to return the national highway
trust to solvency exists, which cities should
press for. This includes consideration of vehicle
miles traveled fees, as well as other innovative
approaches to taxation and regulation.
What are the broadband needs of a mixed
AV transit system, and how can this capacity
building be financed?
The simple answer is always more. Cities should
be aware that their wireless broadband needs will
grow exponentially in the future, and should plan
with the understanding that their infrastructure
will need to be constantly updated. While 5G is
an important goalpost today, it will surely be
surpassed in the near future. Cities should be
proactive in reaching out to the dominant provider
in their region to plan the growth of infrastructure
in a constructive manner so that future needs
can be planned for and met, including spectrum
needs around public safety, transportation, and
connected devices becoming more integrated into
cities. Cities should make informing themselves
about federal broadband regulation a municipal
priority because it will affect them significantly for
the foreseeable future, and there are important
timing considerations around new provider
applications. The preservation of local control
over the right-of-way with regard to wireless and
broadband deployment is an important issue that
cities need to continue to proactively monitor and
be involved with.
How should cities deal with the terabytes of data
that will come with smart technologies?
The data processing requirements needed for cities
to take advantage of the data being generated
within them is often out of reach of many small and
mid-sized cities.
Partnering with local academic institutions has
given many towns and cities affordable access to
the data storage and processing ability they need.
Additionally, cities need to carefully consider
requirements around keeping data safe and
protecting against cybersecurity threats, as well as
budget for the infrastructure necessary to securely
store it. Building the capacity to process, store,
and utilize large amounts of data will be one of
the most significant, if overlooked, steps cities can
take to position them to take advantage of these
future trends.
GOVLINK ยป ISSUE 2 2017
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