Global megatrends are transforming the way we live, work, interact, finance, produce and consume. At the same time, the increasing environmental impacts of human activities have sharpened the focus on sustainability of further development. New technologies potentially provide an opportunity to address, perhaps for the first time in the history of mankind, a substantial majority of the fundamental societal challenges, from nutrition, energy availability and sustainability, to access to products, services and information. However, these same global megatrends can also be highly divisive and therefore represent one of the biggest challenges for a global social, political and economic cohesion and even peaceful coexistence in more than a generation. In addition we have newly remembered our global vulnerability to shocks such as the coronavirus and there can be no doubt that this will change the world in which we live prompting new questions and priorities.

This webinar will explore important questions about what the introduction of autonomous vehicles might mean for cities and regions. More highly connected and autonomous vehicles are being tested in real world environments and there is growing attention on this technology from governments, demonstrated by increased funding and policy developments. It is vital that alongside this there is clear dialogue around the potential impacts that such vehicles might have in urban and metropolitan environments and on their transport systems. This session will begin with a short presentation by the authors of the recently published Regional Studies Association Policy Impact Book: ‘Connected and Autonomous Vehicles: The challenges facing cities and regions’ to outline some of these key issues, before moving to a panel discussion featuring experts from academia, government, and practice.