The self-driving cars initiative launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies in New York and the Washington, D.C.-based Aspen Institute will take place in five chosen cities worldwide.
Called as the Bloomberg Aspen Initiative on Cities and Autonomous Vehicles, the program will include Nashville, Austin, Los Angeles, Paris and Buenos Aires, along with other five cities to be added this year. "The said cities will have access to data and coaching from urban planners and technologists meant to help them for self-driving cars and use them to address city challenges," USA Today reports.
"The advent of autonomous cars is one of the most exciting developments ever to happen to cities -- and if mayors collaborate with one another, and with partners in the private sector, they can improve people's lives in ways we can only imagine today," former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
Nashville Mayor Megan Barry said previously that Tennessee's Davidson County might be a testing ground for self-testing cars aimed for improved transportation.
The Washington Post said that much of the focus will be on the social, environmental and economic welfare.
"This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for cities to address some of their most challenging issues, from pedestrian safety to carbon reduction to economic mobility," said James Anderson.
As for Nashville, which has a Lyft office, Anderson said, "Nashville is a growing community that's thinking seriously about transportation and mobility, with a city hall that's focused on creative new solutions,"
Raj Chetty, professor of economics at Stanford University, commended the initiative for involving city leaders with the evolution of self-driving vehicles.
"Ensuring that a shift to driverless cars increases opportunity and improves the lives of urban residents across the world will require carefully designed social and economic policies," he said. "The Bloomberg Aspen Initiative on Autonomous Vehicles takes a valuable step in this direction by bringing mayors and city leaders together to discuss these issues."
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