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Sixty percent of
Americans desire
to live in an
environment where
they can walk to becoming even more uncomfortable and the largest taxi fleet in the world,
unhealthier. Less congested geographical namely Uber. Carnegie Mellon
amenities. Consider regions are being built and older regions University is exploring with
the number of are being modified, both locales encourage Uber’s Advanced Technologies
gated communities natural movement by their citizens. Center the possibility of having
Quality of life matters to your physical an autonomous fleet of vehicles
in Southwest and mental health while contributing to a callable from your personal
Florida where the longer life expectancy. handheld device to subsequently
Although today’s prediction that the deliver you to your destination.
residents generally 1.2 billion global car fleet could double Easier commuting to work,
avoid leaving their by 2030, others believe that four major reduced parking garage capacities, less general-street
neighborhoods. technology trends will change the way we parking, and so many other unforeseen good changes
transport ourselves: are coming which would be health advantageous. Think
about linear parks and walking paths replacing street
parking which would become obsolete. Also consider the
• IN-VEHICLE CONNECTIVITY—Who likes being stuck in traffic when
societal savings on the cost of a parking space, estimated
alternate, non-congested routes are available that will get you to your destination
to be worth $10,000 to $20,000 per space.
faster? A few “apps” including Waze (https://www.waze.com/) which share
Bike sharing has also become popular in many
traffic conditions, accidents, and speed traps are fed by vehicles just like yours
cities. For a modest fee one can pick up a bike and
to provide up-to-the-minute intelligence about current road conditions. This
peddle to another location, leave the bike parked in a
sharing is a perfect example of crowd sourcing.
secure location, go about one’s business and then pick
up another bike to return home. At a recent national
• ELECTRIFICATION—Hybrids, a combination of battery and gas powered meeting of the thirty Blue Zones Project cities in Fort
engines, and full electric vehicles are expected to increase from about 2.3 million Worth, Texas, Mayor Betsy Price traveled to and from an
vehicles in 2014 to 11.5 million in 2022, representing an 11 percent increase early evening event by rental bike. Cities which are bike
globally. Shorter driving distances in urban areas with battery recharging and walking friendly are already seeing quality adjusted
stations or battery exchange facilities will encourage the conversion to electric, life years added with drops in health care insurance
which is more environmentally friendly and less expensive, reducing the global premiums—overall the making of happier and healthier
dependence on oil with all the attached geo-political implications. citizens as measured by the Gallops-Healthways Well
Being Index. (http://www.well-beingindex.com/)
Sixty percent of Americans desire to live in an
• CAR SHARING—Most cars sit idle 90 percent of the time. By sharing cars
environment where they can walk to amenities. Consider
the average yearly miles traveled by each auto would increase from an estimated
the number of gated communities in Southwest Florida
11,700 to 20,400. Car manufacturers whose success has been measured in the
where the residents generally avoid leaving their
past by the number of units sold will be rewarded in the future for mileage
neighborhoods. Dining in the clubhouse, receiving
travelled and years serviceable by their vehicles.
groceries by delivery, partaking in recreation, and
socializing with neighbors can all be enjoyed without
• AUTONOMOUS DRIVING—“The future is now” is the classic General Electric leaving the confines of the gated community. Multi-unit
slogan popularized in the World of Tomorrow at Disney World in Orlando condominiums as opposed to single family homes with
when many of us were growing up. Imagine safely working on your email large yards encourage walkability as density increases.
or text messaging while your car was driving on its own to your destination. Antiquated regulatory challenges and the general
Obviously, texting while driving is not safe, because the accident rate currently resistance to change can slow progress, postponing the
is similar to driving drunk. Cars are dangerous but necessary. Consider the fact tipping point, which in the case of overcrowded cities
that driverless cars have about 10 percent of the accident rate of conventional is gridlock, excessive automobile dependence, and
drivers. Removing 90 percent of car accidents would be a tremendous avoidance worsening health. Urban planning, solving some of
of injury, death, and misery along with a huge cost savings in car insurance and the technical challenges, and a general desire to help
collision repair. everyone live a longer, happier, and healthier life will
make a huge difference for the better as we all embrace
More synergy will occur when the above four trends are combined with moving naturally.

Life in Naples | March 2017 47