#71. Reforming Transportation Through Electrification, Ride Sharing and Automation, Part 1

#71. Reforming Transportation Through Electrification, Ride Sharing and Automation, Part 1

Dr. Daniel Sperling literally wrote the book on the future of transportation and we’re delighted to have him talk with us about his book, The Three Revolutions. In part one of this interview, we’ll talk about how policies, incentives and the private sector will prompt the U.S. and the world to migrate to a day when transportation will be electric, shared and automated.

Be sure to listen to the second episode in this mini-series, #72. Reforming Transportation Through Electrification, Ride Sharing and Automation, Part 2.

With Special Guest:

Dan Sperling, Founding Director, Institute of Transportation Studies

I wrote a book called Three Revolutions. The Three Revolutions are electric vehicles, which is a pretty obvious one. The other is sharing, which is perhaps a little less obvious. And the third is automation. And I highlight those three because the goal is the need to bring those together, to integrate them. And if you bring them together, we really can transform transportation and create really sustainable cities.

Daniel Sperling is Distinguished Blue Planet Prize Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science and Policy, founding Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies, and founding chair of the Policy Institute for Energy, Environment, and Economy at the University of California, Davis. The Institute is staffed by over 150 faculty, staff, and student researchers. Dr. Sperling is recognized as a leading international expert on transportation technology assessment, energy and environmental aspects of transportation, and transportation policy. He was co-director of the 2007 study that designed California’s landmark low carbon fuel standard and co-director of a follow-up 2010 national study. He has testified 7 times to the US Congress and in 2008 was appointed the first chair of the “Future of Transportation” Council of the Davos World Economic Forum. Prior to obtaining his Ph.D. in Transportation Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley (with minors in Economics and Energy & Resources), Professor Sperling worked two years as an environmental planner for the US Environmental Protection Agency and two years as an urban planner in the Peace Corps in Honduras.  He has an undergraduate degree in engineering and urban planning from Cornell University.

Episode Transcript

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