Description:
Editorial Reviews
Review
“From my own experience with this text in the classroom, the book was very well-received by undergraduates interested in transportation planning and I am certain the book would make a fine addition to a graduate student’s reading list. The author’s broader message is necessary for transportation planning practitioners and our colleagues within motordom.”
― Journal of Planning Education and Research
"Offering iconoclastic arguments that are well worth our attention, Autonorama: The Illusory Promise of High-Tech Driving by Professor Peter Norton is especially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Automotive History and Contemporary Social Issues collections."
― Midwest Book Review
"Norton ... concludes that the only way to end the vices caused by automobile dependency is to reduce automobile dependency itself—to rebuild public transit and facilitate walking and cycling, so that Americans have the same level of transportation choice as Europeans and Asians." ― Planetizen
"Two decades into the 21st-century, we should heed Norton’s warnings about Autonorama, turn our backs on car culture, and begin the rewarding task of reclaiming urban space for efficient public transit, safe cycling, and healthy and stress-free walking." ― Resilience
“[Norton’s] contention that the public is being sold a bill of goods that further reinforces car dependency and freedom against alternative options that are more environmentally and socially friendly creates a thought-provoking analysis of the underlying influences of car company business interests on future choices.”
― Donovan's Literary Services
"Autonorama is a 'road-switch' for a human-powered age, showing that safer, more livable cities will be achieved not by the tech in our cars, but by our actions on our streets." -- Janette Sadik-Khan, Bloomberg Associates and former commissioner, NYC Dept. of Transportation
“Provocative, forcing AV proponents to explain why things will be different this time around after the failed promises of the past 80 years, and whether the answer to the urban transportation problem can actually be more, albeit smarter, automobiles.”
― Journal of Urban Affairs
"Autonorama is a timely reminder from a first-class mind that, like the cartoon dog catching the car, realizing the 60-year-old dream of autonomous driving can only ever be a disappointment. Norton demonstrates that the snake-oil promises of zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion hide the goal of perpetual and damaging car dependency. He also shows that the urban mobility modes too often degraded and therefore despised—public transit, walkability, bicycling— would bloom if only they were funded with a fraction of the financial love lavished for too long on automobility." -- Carlton Reid, Senior Sustainability Contributor, Forbes.com; author of "Roads Were Not Built for Cars" and "Bike Boom "
"Autonorama is a thought-provoking, timely, and profoundly important book that will enable readers to avoid being taken in by false promises of high-speed, delay-free cities for drivers. Peter Norton reveals how the pursuit of self-driving cars is not only unrealistic; it’s a dangerous distraction from far cheaper, healthier, sustainable, and equitable transportation solutions." -- Sally Flocks, Founder & Former President, Pedestrians Educating Drivers on Safety (PEDS)
About the Author
Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars Eye-opening, Compelling, and Great Writing--a must read for anyone involved in planning/engineering
We have all been inundated with news and books about AVs and EVs for years so when I first saw this book I just didn't think I would be interested. I finally bought a copy after an enthusiastic recommendation by a friend, and I have to say it is one of the most interesting books I have read on transportation in a long time. Lots of great, pithy observations, good research and back up, and a very unique perspective that might really reshape how you look at the barrage of EV/AV information/boosterism we are all experiencing on a regular basis. I am grateful that the author wrote this book, although I can't imagine it was a happy one to write.
5.0 out of 5 stars AVs are the technology of the future, and perhaps always will be
The conventional wisdom seems to be that autonomous vehicles (AVs) are the wave of the future. In this book, University of Virginia professor Peter Norton argues that AVs may be neither feasible nor desirable.As to the first issue, he points out that as early as the 1950s, business lobbyists were claiming that AVs were right around the corner. For example, in 1955 a film published by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce promised that in twenty years, cars would have “an automatic brain that will park the car” and electronic warning devices that would “eliminate the need for a driver once the car is on the highway.” In a 1958 television show sponsored by the Portland Cement Association, the narrator claims that in the future, electronics would “take over complete control [of cars]… With no driving responsibility, the family relaxes together.” Norton also lists numerous other false prophecies from more recent decades.Norton then attacks claims that AVs will reduce congestion; he suggests that by making driving easier and more desirable, AVs will actually increase auto travel and thus congestion.Norton also criticizes claims that AVs will be safer than existing vehicles. Even if AVs are error-free on a limited-access highway surrounded by nothing but other AVs, they may not be able to function safely on a street surrounded by pedestrians or cars slowly making turns. An AV may never learn to distinguish between a pedestrian and a plastic bag- and even if it does, a car that stops for every car or pedestrian may be too slow for most drivers’ tastes and thus unmarketable. But if AVs are programmed to take more risks, they may be as dangerous as conventional cars.Norton also worries that AVs may become not just useless, but actually harmful to nondrivers. If AVs crash into pedestrians, car industry lobbyists may seek to exclude pedestrians from streets in order to prevent such crashes. And if AVs make the population even more spread out than it already is, the increased distance between destinations may make it impossible for nondrivers to get around.
5.0 out of 5 stars A Primer on the Auto-Industrial Complex
This is a great book shedding insight into the failed history of the auto-industrial complex decades long promise to reduce congestion and improve safety. Autonorama raises the point that the current goal of autonomous vehicles may be another ploy for a Federal handout, and will turn into another failed promise.
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
I loved the discussion of the Futuramas at the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs. I also enjoyed the reference to future transportation at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo, and to Walt Disney’s interest in cities and movement (EPCOT).
Very interesting book!
Very interesting book on the history of car dependence
Visit the Island Press Store
Autonorama: The Illusory Promise of High-Tech Driving
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All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.
All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.
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Visit the Island Press Store
Autonorama: The Illusory Promise of High-Tech Driving
AED25281
Quantity:
Order today to get by 7-14 business days
This item qualifies for free delivery
Imported From: United States
At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.
BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.
Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.
If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.
Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.
All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.
While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.
Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.
BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.
All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.
All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.
Description:
Editorial Reviews
Review
“From my own experience with this text in the classroom, the book was very well-received by undergraduates interested in transportation planning and I am certain the book would make a fine addition to a graduate student’s reading list. The author’s broader message is necessary for transportation planning practitioners and our colleagues within motordom.”
― Journal of Planning Education and Research
"Offering iconoclastic arguments that are well worth our attention, Autonorama: The Illusory Promise of High-Tech Driving by Professor Peter Norton is especially and unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Automotive History and Contemporary Social Issues collections."
― Midwest Book Review
"Norton ... concludes that the only way to end the vices caused by automobile dependency is to reduce automobile dependency itself—to rebuild public transit and facilitate walking and cycling, so that Americans have the same level of transportation choice as Europeans and Asians." ― Planetizen
"Two decades into the 21st-century, we should heed Norton’s warnings about Autonorama, turn our backs on car culture, and begin the rewarding task of reclaiming urban space for efficient public transit, safe cycling, and healthy and stress-free walking." ― Resilience
“[Norton’s] contention that the public is being sold a bill of goods that further reinforces car dependency and freedom against alternative options that are more environmentally and socially friendly creates a thought-provoking analysis of the underlying influences of car company business interests on future choices.”
― Donovan's Literary Services
"Autonorama is a 'road-switch' for a human-powered age, showing that safer, more livable cities will be achieved not by the tech in our cars, but by our actions on our streets." -- Janette Sadik-Khan, Bloomberg Associates and former commissioner, NYC Dept. of Transportation
“Provocative, forcing AV proponents to explain why things will be different this time around after the failed promises of the past 80 years, and whether the answer to the urban transportation problem can actually be more, albeit smarter, automobiles.”
― Journal of Urban Affairs
"Autonorama is a timely reminder from a first-class mind that, like the cartoon dog catching the car, realizing the 60-year-old dream of autonomous driving can only ever be a disappointment. Norton demonstrates that the snake-oil promises of zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion hide the goal of perpetual and damaging car dependency. He also shows that the urban mobility modes too often degraded and therefore despised—public transit, walkability, bicycling— would bloom if only they were funded with a fraction of the financial love lavished for too long on automobility." -- Carlton Reid, Senior Sustainability Contributor, Forbes.com; author of "Roads Were Not Built for Cars" and "Bike Boom "
"Autonorama is a thought-provoking, timely, and profoundly important book that will enable readers to avoid being taken in by false promises of high-speed, delay-free cities for drivers. Peter Norton reveals how the pursuit of self-driving cars is not only unrealistic; it’s a dangerous distraction from far cheaper, healthier, sustainable, and equitable transportation solutions." -- Sally Flocks, Founder & Former President, Pedestrians Educating Drivers on Safety (PEDS)
About the Author
Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars Eye-opening, Compelling, and Great Writing--a must read for anyone involved in planning/engineering
We have all been inundated with news and books about AVs and EVs for years so when I first saw this book I just didn't think I would be interested. I finally bought a copy after an enthusiastic recommendation by a friend, and I have to say it is one of the most interesting books I have read on transportation in a long time. Lots of great, pithy observations, good research and back up, and a very unique perspective that might really reshape how you look at the barrage of EV/AV information/boosterism we are all experiencing on a regular basis. I am grateful that the author wrote this book, although I can't imagine it was a happy one to write.
5.0 out of 5 stars AVs are the technology of the future, and perhaps always will be
The conventional wisdom seems to be that autonomous vehicles (AVs) are the wave of the future. In this book, University of Virginia professor Peter Norton argues that AVs may be neither feasible nor desirable.As to the first issue, he points out that as early as the 1950s, business lobbyists were claiming that AVs were right around the corner. For example, in 1955 a film published by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce promised that in twenty years, cars would have “an automatic brain that will park the car” and electronic warning devices that would “eliminate the need for a driver once the car is on the highway.” In a 1958 television show sponsored by the Portland Cement Association, the narrator claims that in the future, electronics would “take over complete control [of cars]… With no driving responsibility, the family relaxes together.” Norton also lists numerous other false prophecies from more recent decades.Norton then attacks claims that AVs will reduce congestion; he suggests that by making driving easier and more desirable, AVs will actually increase auto travel and thus congestion.Norton also criticizes claims that AVs will be safer than existing vehicles. Even if AVs are error-free on a limited-access highway surrounded by nothing but other AVs, they may not be able to function safely on a street surrounded by pedestrians or cars slowly making turns. An AV may never learn to distinguish between a pedestrian and a plastic bag- and even if it does, a car that stops for every car or pedestrian may be too slow for most drivers’ tastes and thus unmarketable. But if AVs are programmed to take more risks, they may be as dangerous as conventional cars.Norton also worries that AVs may become not just useless, but actually harmful to nondrivers. If AVs crash into pedestrians, car industry lobbyists may seek to exclude pedestrians from streets in order to prevent such crashes. And if AVs make the population even more spread out than it already is, the increased distance between destinations may make it impossible for nondrivers to get around.
5.0 out of 5 stars A Primer on the Auto-Industrial Complex
This is a great book shedding insight into the failed history of the auto-industrial complex decades long promise to reduce congestion and improve safety. Autonorama raises the point that the current goal of autonomous vehicles may be another ploy for a Federal handout, and will turn into another failed promise.
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
I loved the discussion of the Futuramas at the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs. I also enjoyed the reference to future transportation at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo, and to Walt Disney’s interest in cities and movement (EPCOT).
Very interesting book!
Very interesting book on the history of car dependence
Similar suggestions by Bolo
More from this brand
Similar items from “Sustainability & Green Design”
Share with
Or share with link
https://www.bolo.ae/products/U1642832405