Mallory Scates Co-Authors National Technical Brief on Autonomous Vehicles
Transportation engineer Mallory Scates has co-authored a technical brief on the increasing use of autonomous vehicles and broader impacts on society and the economy. The brief was published by ITE, the Institute of Transportation Engineers, a national organization of transportation professionals.
Mallory worked with Dan Hennessey, Director of Transportation and Public Works for the City of Santa Rosa, California, and Jimmy Jessup, Transportation Engineer with Parametrix in Oakland, to develop the material. The brief explores how the use of autonomous vehicles (AVs), especially Level 5 AVs, could reshape land use and urban form, increase congestion, challenge equity and introduce cybersecurity concerns — potentially undermining public transit and intensifying sprawl. The brief promotes proactive, equity-focused transportation planning as essential to ensure automation leads to sustainable and socially responsible outcomes.
“It’s fascinating to think about how increased use of AVs can provide enhancements or improvements in many areas, such as making longer commutes more tolerable or reclaiming land from parking for green space but can have negative impacts in other areas, such as increased carbon emissions and congestion from AVs taking zero passenger trips,” Mallory said. “While collaborating to prepare this technical brief, we recognized there are a lot of questions that do not yet have answers, and we hope this inspires others to also conduct further research.”
Download the full document, “Potential Secondary Effects of Increasing Automation,” from ITE (fee for non-members).
Learn More: Nov. 20 Webinar
In a Nov. 20 webinar, “Ghost Riders & Empty Miles: The Hidden Costs of Convenience from Automated Vehicles,” Dan will moderate a panel that includes Mallory and Jimmy joined by Jen Duthie, Senior Innovation Manager for Cintra US in Austin. The event is hosted by the ITE Planning Council.
Register for the webinar (There may be a registration fee.)
Mallory is involved in the ITE South Texas chapter and ITE’s National Planning Council, co-chairs the Urban Core Local Member Council for the Urban Land Institute San Antonio, and is a member of WTS San Antonio Region, the Texas Society of Professional Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers. She is based in San Antonio, Texas.