Documenting America's Autonomous Future
Where 10 of America's greatest cities are heading —
and who's driving them there.
Our Mission
Self-driving cities aren't science fiction — they're urban policy made bold. We document, analyze, and advocate for the autonomous future taking shape right now in America's most forward-thinking metros. From Waymo's expanding fleet in Phoenix to the corridors of power in Albany, this is where the future gets reported.
We believe transportation is infrastructure. Infrastructure is equity. And equity is the bedrock of a functioning democracy. Autonomous vehicles, deployed thoughtfully, can reduce traffic deaths, reclaim land from parking, shorten commutes, and deliver mobility to those left behind by today's car-dependent systems.
10 American Cities
Each city page is a deep-dive into AV policy, infrastructure readiness, pilot programs, and the civic vision shaping its autonomous future.
What We Stand For
The average American spends 55 minutes daily behind the wheel. Autonomous vehicles transform that dead time into work, rest, connection, or creativity. At scale, this is billions of hours returned to human life every year.
94% of serious crashes involve human error. Autonomous systems don't text, drink, or fatigue. The road to zero traffic deaths runs directly through the autonomous future — and every city on this site is on that road.
Autonomous transit can serve the elderly, disabled, and car-free by choice — but only if we demand it. We track which cities are building equitable systems and which are building luxury products dressed as public good.
The Road Ahead
Waymo operates fully driverless robotaxi services in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Cruise, Zoox, and Nuro push forward in multiple cities. The era of paid autonomous rides is here.
Federal and state AV legislation catches up to technology. Cities begin integrating autonomous shuttles into public transit networks. Highway platooning becomes commercially viable for freight.
Cities begin converting parking minimums, rethinking curb space, and piloting AV-dedicated lanes. The first neighborhoods designed for reduced car ownership emerge in Phoenix, Austin, and Seattle.
Level 4 autonomy reaches critical mass in major metros. Public transit integrates seamlessly with AV fleets. Traffic fatalities fall sharply. A new urban form — leaner, greener, more human — begins to take shape.
"The car was the 20th century's great promise and its great failure. The self-driving city is our chance to keep the promise and correct the failure."
— SelfDrivingCities Editorial Board