The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) has unveiled its digital playbook aimed at addressing the urban mobility issues that have long plagued the sun-drenched city. The LADOT launched it Urban Mobility in a Digital Age Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) after months of speculation regarding the program.
LADOT believes that by embracing technology it can tackle its urban mobility issues and is keen to reposition itself as an active partner agency for the arrival of autonomous vehicles and other evolving mobility technologies.
The primary objectives of the ambitious Urban Mobility in a Digital Age project plans on focusing on unprecedented levels of investment in new transportation choices and supporting technologies. This includes the development and deployment of actively managed electric, shared, and autonomous transportation options.
The new modes of transportation are designed to collectively address congestion, enable economic development - reduce racial and socioeconomic inequality and ultimately to save lives.
The SIP represents a set of products and services that according to LADOT are necessary to ensure that as autonomous fleets arrive in the sky and on the ground, they are first and foremost safe, and secondly will set the city on a course to manage the streets of the future in 2028.
"In the fast-changing transportation industry, it is absolutely vital for public agencies to keep user experience front-and-centre. The technology may change, but our commitment to moving people safely, reliably, and equitably does not," said Mike Bonin, chair and council member, Los Angeles Transportation Committee.
"LADOT's work builds a solid foundation for inviting technology providers to come to Los Angeles and serve our communities with new mobility options."
"Los Angeles is a center for innovation and invention that is defining the future of transportation," added Mayor Eric Garcetti. "New technologies will enable us to build a transit network that serves each of our communities and strengthens our economy - and this plan will help steer our city toward greater mobility and prosperity for all Angelenos."