sAVe: A Citizen-Centered Mobility Solution
By Adriana Davis
Date
July 11, 2017
The following is a project description of IBI’s ‘sAVe’ submission to the NYC Driverless Future Competition. The submission, which was comprised of a multi-disciplinary team across IBI offices is one of four finalists presenting on July 11, 2017. Check out the video submission!
The New York City transportation system is in crisis. It cost too much to maintain and takes too long to build new lines. Our goal is to allow this complex system to function in a simple way. With sAVe, we are interested in a technology that impacts people. We are committed to having an accessible city that brings the opportunity for New Yorkers to take advantage of all the resources the city has to offer.
“The beauty of sAVe is that it addresses issues around affordability and accessibility that are exemplified in New York but that are also being experienced in cities around the globe.” – Jill Mackay, Senior Associate at IBI, Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Group
As young residents of New York City, we see driverless cars as an opportunity to resolve one of the cities’ growing problems: choosing between affordability and ease of transportation when finding a place to call home. sAVe provides an immediate solution for this concern and we will utilize the New Lab to develop the app for city-wide use. It is a citizen-centered mobility solution that connects the positive benefits of new Autonomous Vehicle technology to demonstrate what can be done for the citizens of New York and beyond.
We believe AVs can serve as a tool that supports accessibility for all New Yorkers and creates a less isolated city. To do that, we created a dialogue between the existing and the new, we propose a subscription service that is integrated with the current MTA fare system.
“Don’t underestimate the cultural significance of AVs. They present real potential for social change.” – Nathalie Waelbroeck, Project Designer at IBI Group
sAVe is a shuttle service that incentivizes ride sharing through the use of restricted service zones and rewards points. It is a comprehensive trip planning app that integrates AVs, the MTA, deliveries and private partnerships. As a data driven app, these service zones can be adjusted to suit user needs. And just as an HOV lane encourages carpooling for commuters to save time, by coordinating with the DOT and the MTA we can analyze demand ahead of time so that we provide the solution. By gathering the data sAVe can supplement subway shutdowns and system maintenance, like the L line.
How are we making the city healthier and less isolated? Here are the benefits:
- Affordable apartments with an easier commute
- Less isolation for disabled New Yorkers
- Transforming streetscape into green space
- Utilizing AVs to supplement the subway system during maintenance
Housing prices continue to increase beyond reasonable measures and locals continue to be pushed further and further from the central core. According to Bloomberg, 48% of New Yorkers struggle financially, and for many, moving to the boroughs is their only option. However, to make matters worse, superstorm Sandy has critically damaged most transit infrastructures connecting Manhattan to these very boroughs. Resolving this problem will require more than just a maintenance facelift, we need another revolutionary idea and we need one that will focus on the true problems at hand. Like the inception of the subway, this isn’t only about advancing technology, but about improving transit for disenfranchised New Yorkers and jump starting a new cultural revolution.
“Autonomous vehicles are the inevitable future of human transportation. We must be proactive in our transition to best serve not just commuters but all citizens.” – Duane Sibilly, Software Developer at IBI
New York City’s population is expected to grow to over 9 million by 2040 and this population growth is going to cause a densification in the boroughs. This means more and more people will be living and working in the boroughs and with that in mind, it is important that the city starts to explore ways to quickly supplement and support its current infrastructure.
Click here to view larger image.
There is a trend in New York City whereby major transit movements are pushed only after major weather events or catastrophes. Let us not wait for that moment to come, let us preemptively and affordably resolve our transit woes before the residents of New York must suffer again.
This competition has framed the opportunity for our group to come together and solve this issue offering a master planned solution. The IBI Group TH!NK team includes a diverse group of individuals from New York City and beyond. Passionately motivated by our local experience, we set out to resolve the New York City transportation problems that we live with daily. We leveraged our knowledge in urban design and planning, building and landscape architecture, engineering, advanced transportation management and traffic systems, real estate analysis, communications specializations, and software development to ensure that we not only created the best solution for today, but also created the right solution for tomorrow.
The sAVe Team is comprised of Adriana Davis, Meriem Sakrouhi, Nathalie Waelbroeck, Duane Sibilly, Matt Clementson, Drew Lager, and Jill Mackay
