Automotive cities, also known as car-centric or auto-oriented, are urban areas where the design and infrastructure prioritise cars as the dominant mode of transportation. These cities have extensive road networks, large parking lots, and wide streets, all of which cater to the needs of cars while often neglecting the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport users. Automotive cities have been the prevailing urban model for much of the 20th century, particularly in many parts of the United States, in which car ownership and reliance on automobiles for daily transportation are rooted in the culture and lifestyle.
However, the dominance of cars in urban life has significant implications for the environment, public health, social dynamics, and urban planning. This article will address how cars can impact urban life, pedestrian life, architecture and urban planning in automotive cities.
Automotive lives
One of the most significant impacts of cars on urban life is the transformation of cities into car-oriented spaces. In automotive cities, streets are primarily designed for cars, with wide roads and expansive parking lots, often at the expense of other modes of transportation such as walking or cycling. This car-centric design can result in sprawling cities with low-density development; as cities expand outward to accommodate the growing demand for car travel. This urban sprawl can lead to increased traffic congestion, longer commutes, and a higher dependence on cars, contributing to issues such as air pollution, noise pollution, and reduced walkability.
Automotive cities heavily impact pedestrian lives. In many automotive cities, pedestrian infrastructure such as sidewalks, crosswalks, and pedestrian-friendly public spaces can be limited, making it challenging for people to walk safely and comfortably. As a result, walking becomes less attractive as a mode of transportation, leading to increased reliance on cars and a decreased quality of life for pedestrians.
Renowned Danish architect and urban planner Jan Gehl argue that automotive cities prioritise the needs of cars over people, leading to environments that are hostile to pedestrians and other forms of sustainable transportation. Gehl’s work emphasises the importance of designing cities prioritising the human experience to create walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly urban environments. He advocates for a design that follows the human scale, designing buildings and streets to promote social interaction, active mobility, and healthy living.
According to Gehl, automotive cities often lack a sense of place, as the dominance of cars can disconnect people from their surroundings and limit their interactions with the built environment. Gehl believes that cities should promote social interaction with public spaces that are accessible, inclusive, and inviting for people to gather, walk, and play. He also prioritises public transportation and active mobility options such as walking and cycling to reduce car dependency and promote sustainable transportation modes.
The Impact of Cars on Urban Life
Automotive-focused cities have a completely different layout of urban space and architecture. Car-oriented design often prioritises the construction of highways, large parking structures, and expansive road networks, which can destroy historic buildings, displacement of communities, and erosion of the urban fabric. Streets and roads are designed primarily for cars, with wide roads and expansive parking lots, resulting in sprawling cities with low-density development, which lead to traffic congestion, longer commutes, air and noise pollution, and reduced walkability. The car-centric design of automotive cities can also disconnect people from their surroundings, limit social interaction, and create a sense of placelessness.
The advocates for walkable cities
As Gehl said, prioritising the needs of cars over people leads to environments that are hostile to pedestrians and other sustainable transportation modes. Gehl’s approach to urban planning emphasises designing cities at a human scale, prioritising the human experience, and creating inclusive and accessible urban environments. He advocates for walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly cities that promote social interaction, healthy living, and sustainability.
Gehl highlights the importance of designing cities that are inclusive and accessible for all members of the community, including people with disabilities, older people, and children. A thoughtful urban design that promotes safety, comfort, and convenience can help achieve this.
Architecture and Urban Planning in Automotive Cities
The impact of cars on architecture and urban planning in automotive cities is significant. Car-oriented design often prioritises the construction of highways, large parking structures, and expansive road networks, which can destroy historic buildings, displacement of communities, and erosion of the urban fabric. Designing cities that enhance existing urban fabric can help switch the focus to pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and create vibrant public spaces and mixed-use developments that promote community.
Inclusive and Accessible Cities
Walkable cities have numerous benefits, including improved public health outcomes, increased social interaction, reduced car dependency, and decreased environmental impacts. Walkability promotes physical activity, reduces the risk of chronic diseases, and enhances mental well-being. It also creates opportunities for social interactions, community engagement, and a sense of belonging. Walkable cities also contribute to more sustainable and livable urban environments by reducing traffic congestion, air pollution and noise pollution.
Public transportation should also have a substantial role in automotive cities. Buses, trams, and trains provide a more sustainable and efficient mode of transport than private cars. It reduces congestion, decreases greenhouse gas emissions, and promotes social equity by providing affordable and accessible transportation options for all communities. It is essential to urban planning to have means of integrating public transportation into the urban fabric, creating a transit-friendly environment that encourages people.
Embracing People-Centric Urban Planning for a Sustainable Future
Moving towards more pedestrian-friendly and human-centric cities requires a paradigm shift in urban planning and design, which includes prioritising active transportation modes such as walking and cycling, promoting public transit, creating mixed-use developments, and designing streets and public spaces that are safe, accessible, and enjoyable for people of all ages and abilities.
Urban planners, architects, and policymakers have a crucial role to play in shaping the cities of the future. By integrating Gehl’s perspectives and other progressive urban planning approaches, cities can change into vibrant, healthy, and sustainable places where people thrive in spaces that aren’t car-dominated. It is essential to recognise that creating more people-centric cities is not only about improving the physical environment but also about fostering community, promoting social connections, and enhancing the quality of life for all residents, regardless of their mode of transportation. By prioritising the needs and well-being of people in urban planning, the automotive city can change into an inclusive urban space which is more equitable and sustainable for present and future generations.
References
Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) (n.d.). [online]. Available at: https://www.cnu.org/ [Accessed: 20/04/2023].
Gehl, J. (2010). Cities for People. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.
Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) (n.d.). [online]. Available at: https://www.itdp.org/ [Accessed: 20/04/2023].
Jacobs, J. (1961). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Random House.
Tumlin, Jeffrey (2012). Sustainable Transportation Planning: Tools for Creating Vibrant, Healthy, and Resilient Communities. [online]. Available at: https://islandpress.org/books/sustainable-transportation-planning [Accessed: 20/04/2023].
Urban Land Institute (ULI) (n.d.). [online]. Available at: https://uli.org/ [Accessed: 20/04/2023].
