Transformations of European Public Spaces with AVs

Connected and automated driving is one of several emerging mobility trends that will fundamentally impact the use and design of public spaces in the coming decades. Urban planners need to rethink whose interests they place at the center of future streetscapes and public spaces and which transport modes are given priority. To ensure that public spaces remain a common spatial infrastructure, design visions provide a vital tool in support of coordinated planning, decision-making, and development. In this light, this article introduces design experiments that highlight possible trajectories for the redesign of public spaces and illustrate new mobility futures in a European context. Set in three varying urban areas within Copenhagen, Denmark, the designs build upon the specificities of local neighborhood structures and mobility requirements. Through plans and three-dimensional images, the possibilities of integrating AVs into a sustainable transportation system are showcased.