Technology has shaped our lives in ways we could never have anticipated. It connects us, makes us more productive, and changes the way we travel. The Regional Plan explores technology trends that could drastically improve our transportation infrastructure while prioritizing safety and providing mobility choices that will reduce emissions.
Shared Mobility
Shared modes of travel can be a valuable alternative to relying on personal vehicles. With new technology, we can access shared cars, bikes, scooters, and rides on demand through a mobile app. Transit service also benefits from technology through improved operations, fare collection, scheduling, and routing of transit service.
Electrification
We have seen a significant shift toward the use of electric vehicles (EVs), which creates a critical need for public charging infrastructure. To support our focus on expanding available vehicle charging infrastructure, we have explored inductive or wireless EV charging technology, which would allow EV users to charge while driving. In 2022, we published the Wireless EV Charging White Paper summarizing the results of our research and providing an overview of available technology, challenges and opportunities, and potential use cases for wireless charging in the region.
Connectivity
Connection to the internet allows smart cars and infrastructure to communicate with other connected vehicles and devices. Connectivity helps improve safety, smooth traffic flow, and make public transit more reliable. Connectivity also reduces overall traffic by allowing more people to work from home instead of traveling to work.
Smart Mobility
In September 2023, we updated our Emerging Technologies White Paper to reflect the latest research on smart mobility trends. Our research demonstrates that technological and societal trends have the potential to change how the region's transportation system is used in the future. The white paper will help inform the transportation network development process.
