The possibility of self-driving robot cars has often seemed like a futurist’s dream, years away from materializing in the real world. Well, the future is apparently now. The California Department of Motor Vehicles began giving permits in April for companies to test truly self-driving cars on public roads. The state also cleared the way for companies to sell or rent out self-driving cars, and for companies to operate driverless taxi services. California, it should be noted, isn’t leading the way here. Companies have been testing their vehicles in cities across the country. It’s hard to predict when driverless cars will be everywhere on our roads. But however long it takes, the technology has the potential to change our transportation systems and our cities, for better or for worse, depending on how the transformation is regulated.

While much of the debate so far has been focused on the safety of driverless cars (and rightfully so), policymakers also should be talking about how self-driving vehicles can help reduce traffic jams, cut emissions and offer more convenient, affordable mobility options. The arrival of driverless vehicles is a chance to make sure that those vehicles are environmentally friendly and more shared.

Do we want to copy - or even worsen - the traffic of today with driverless cars? Imagine a future where most adults own individual self-driving vehicles. They tolerate long, slow journeys to and from work on packed highways because they can work, entertain themselves or sleep on the ride, which encourages urban spread. They take their driverless car to an appointment and set the empty vehicle to circle the building to avoid paying for parking. Instead of walking a few blocks to pick up a child or the dry cleaning, they send the self-driving minibus. The convenience even leads fewer people to take public transport - an unwelcome side effect researchers have already found in ride-hailing (叫车)services.

A study from the University of California at Davis suggested that replacing petrol-powered private cars worldwide with electric, self-driving and shared systems could reduce carbon emissions from transportation 80% and cut the cost of transportation infrastructure and operations 40% by 2050. Fewer emissions and cheaper travel sound pretty appealing. The first commercially available driverless cars will almost certainly be fielded by ride-hailing services, considering the cost of self-driving technology as well as liability and maintenance issues (责任与维护问题). But driverless car ownership could increase as the prices drop and more people become comfortable with the technology.

Policymakers should start thinking now about how to make sure the appearance of driverless vehicles doesn’t extend the worst aspects of the car-controlled transportation system we have today. The coming technological advancement presents a chance for cities and states to develop transportation systems designed to move more people, and more affordably. The car of the future is coming. We just have to plan for it.

Four Coolest Inventions From the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show

The annual Consumer Electronics Show is upon us. This year is as sci-fi cool as always with various innovative inventions. Here we’ve chosen four to share with you.

Smart Mirror

How do you feel when you look into the mirror in the morning? Paris-based company Baracoda says its BMind Smart Mirror can take a look and tell how you’re feeling. The technology uses artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing to analyze expressions and gestures and then provides guided meditations (冥想) and light therapy. The mirror can also guide you through tooth brushing and analyze your skin’s needs.

Ampera

LifeSpan’s Ampera Bike combines the health benefits of a pedal desk with the energy savings of a body-powered phone charger. A half-hour of pedaling can charge the average phone about 50 percent and cycling over 60 revolutions (转数) per minute can charge a laptop. The bike allows workers to complete the same tasks as they did sitting still while enjoying the physical and mental benefits of staying active.

Squad Mobility’s Electric Vehicle (E. V.)

On roads crowded with ever-bigger trucks and cars, Squad Mobility’s tiny solar-powered E. V. almost looks like a children’s toy. In a sunny environment, the 6.6-foot-long car can go about 13 miles just on solar charge from its 250-watts-peak rooftop panel (面板); it can also be plugged in like a regular E. V. With top speeds around 25 miles an hour, the car could be used to make a short commute (通勤).

Delta Pro Ultra

Power failure is annoying and can even be dangerous. Delta Pro Ultra from EcoFlow is a backup battery generator that runs on solar power, keeping houses powered in emergencies. At 186 pounds, it’s portable enough to hit the road, powering recreational vehicles or tiny homes.

If you live in Washington, D. C., or Redwood, Calif., you may have noticed a small, boxy robot rolling along a local sidewalk, minding its own business, but attracting the attention of many a curious onlooker.

The robots, which look like electric rice cookers with wheels, were part of a pilot program last year by Starship Technologies focused on delivering（运送）meals from local restaurants in dozens of cities around the world.

This week, the company showed plans to broaden its delivery service beyond food to include packages, a move that made it “the world’s first robot package delivery service”. The package delivery service can only be applied in some cities in the US.

The wheeled robots have a top speed of 4 mph and can detect barriers（检测路障） from as far as 30 feet away. “The robot can operate through just about anything,” says Nick Handrick, head of operations for Starship’s D. C. office, “If you have something in the way, it’s able to climb it.” By giving customers control of when deliveries occur, Starship Technologies is promoting its service as a way to combat package theft.

To sign up for the service, which costs a little more than $10 per month, customers need to download the company’s app. Customers then create a “Starship Delivery Address,” a unique address inside a Starship facility, instead of a home address, where they can have packages sent from places such as Amazon. com.

Once a package is delivered to the Starship address, customers receive a text notice that allows them to schedule a home delivery through robot. The robots are opened by customers with a mobile phone code (代码).