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A Triple Threat in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

An expertly designed interior, breathtaking ravine lot, and premium locale directly across from the entrance to High Park and Grenadier Pond, complete this four-plus-one bedroom, six-bath home in Toronto, Ontario Canada.

This home perfectly suits both family and entertaining with its 4,441 square feet of living space over all levels, over 2,000 square feet of finished exterior space and four walk-outs and professional landscaping. Other features include Crestron automation, beautiful custom millwork, an elevator connecting all four levels, snow melt system, and much more.

“Visitors love the fireplace and privacy of the front patio, which overlooks High Park,” says listing agent Paul Nusca of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices West Realty, who is listing the home for $5.2 million. “This home feels like you are on a vacation and perfect for an affluent middle-aged couple.”

 

Living Room photo by James Dear, The Lighting Judge. Photos courtesy of Paul Nusca. 

Designed by Hugh Newell Jacobsen, this estate in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania, sits on a sloping hillside, nearly invisible from the road.

The main home is grand without being grandiose, a quiet elegance that offers multiple experiences. Features within include two entertainment patios, a two-story library, four bedrooms, three full and 1 half baths, and a private office in the master suite. There are many fine details throughout, including five wood-burning fireplaces, a circular staircase, a custom light tower in the foyer. granite countertops and a kitchen island. 

As one turns down a pea-gravel drive past a series of perfectly placed pines and hemlocks, a sharp 120-degree turn to the west reveals a remarkable village-like cluster of five buildings on the left with the barn across the drive. From the moment you turn down the drive, there is a sense of calm discovery. “Good architecture doesn’t really over-power its surroundings, it makes the site look better,” said Jacobsen.

The property is listed by J. Scott Laughlin of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox and Roach for $1.295 million. 

     

This editorial originally appeared in the Spring 2020 edition of

Unique Homes Magazine. Click here to see more.

Over the past few years, stained glass has gone from a dusty antique item in an old home to modern works of art. With the industry making a comeback into the luxury scene, interior designers are challenging themselves to design a space around the ornate glass. Here are a few different ideas:

Photo courtesy of Bespoke Glass

Photo courtesy of Florence Broadhurst Fabrics

Stained glass can add a pop of color and make your space feel both cozy and modern. The green colors on this partition add a bright finish to the room, making it the centerpiece for all the other furniture to gather around it. While still looking modern, it brings back an old-school style to provide a sense of comfort as well. Nowadays, adding a piece of stained glass to a home brings a unique style unlike any other — one that brings you back in time, while also staying ahead of the times, too.

Located in New Haven, Connecticut, the Blake Hotel adds a unique style to the space by featuring the work of Bespoke Glass, a studio-based business in Brooklyn, New York. The different shades of blue colors and the glimmer of the glass adding a retro look that transports you to a different time in the past, while also staying current and on-trend. The placement of the blue pieces adds an edgy and one-of-a-kind appearance. Not only is it a partition, but it’s a work of art in its own right.

Photo courtesy of Reed McKendree

Photo courtesy of Bespoke Glass

By changing the designs stained glass was normally confined to in the past, studios and interior designers around the globe are beginning to take out the dusty antiques from their storage bins and create works of art instead. With so many different styles and colors, the possibilities are endless.

Cocosan Villa, nestled high in the San San Estate in Portland Jamaica, forms part of the Geejam Collection. It offers a uniquely designed take on contemporary Jamaican living. This villa features six bedrooms with balconies overlooking scenes of the beautiful parish of Portland and eight bathrooms. 

Cocosan’s upscale design is poised with elegance and modern day comfort, while engaging the tropical aesthetic of the Caribbean. The property, listed by Kaili McDonnough Scott of Coldwell Banker Jamaica Realty for $2.9 million, also boasts a gym, sauna, heated lap pool and Jacuzzi, and state-of-the-art kitchen.

Whether it’s designer fashion from Paris, colorful fabrics throughout India or architecture in The Hamptons, interior designer Birgit (“Bee”) Klein is constantly drawing inspiration from destinations across the globe. From an elegant estate on the East Coast to an old world-style apartment in Paris, Klein brings a unique perspective to the design world with Birgit Klein Interiors. The Beverly Hills, East Hampton and London-based interior design firm is driven by Klein’s European roots as well as her unwavering dedication to beautiful design.

When did you first discover your passion for interior design?

I started out working for a large corporation looking after major international corporations and managing portfolios worldwide. After many years of traveling and managing these portfolios, I was so run down. I starting helping my boyfriend at the time who was a property developer in London, and I loved it so much that I decided to give up my work and go back to the drawing board. I began to study interior design at the KLC School of Design in London. That was the best decision I’ve ever made. After studying, I started working for a few well-established interior designers. In 2005, I decided that I wanted to start my own company. As hard and daunting as it was at the beginning, I’ve never looked back.

What makes Birgit Klein Interiors and its designs stand out from other firms?

I often get hired because of my European roots, and due to the fact that my interiors are “less American.” I still have a lot of contacts in Europe — particularly in London and the U.K. to purchase furniture or antiques — and I continue to bring the European style across in my designs.

“The key to this space is the high-gloss lacquer built-ins that create a focal point. But everything is seamlessly integrated into one unit, so it doesn’t feel overpowering,” Klein explains.

How have your travels inspired your work?

During my travels, I am always so inspired — whether it’s walking through a department store, strolling through the city streets, looking at how the locals are dressed, or admiring architecture, hotels and exhibitions. I think traveling is so important for all interior designers because that is where we get a lot of inspiration.

I am inspired by design styles, materials and colors that are used in different countries. I find flower shops particularly interesting because Mother Nature has given us so many beautiful color combinations that I would not have necessarily thought about. Then, when I get projects — whether it is on the East Coast, West Coast or in Europe — I am always thinking about the things I’ve seen.

Designed to reflect a growing family, this cozy breakfast nook allows for relaxed and easy living.

What are some of your favorite regions in which to design?

I love designing homes in The Hamptons. There is just something special about the light. I also love the nature and the architecture there. I love everything about The Hamptons. I always want a reason to visit. I also really love designing homes in Montecito and London.

How do you get to know your clients, and how do you ensure they are represented in your designs?

It really depends on the client, and how well they know their style. If I have a client that knows what they want, I usually ask about inspirational images and I have a conversation with them to get a better understanding of what they like about these images. I try to understand how they would live in the home as a family. If I have a client that does not really know what they like, it is a bit more challenging. In these cases, I sometimes feel like a detective…. We will spend weeks gathering inspirational images and see where it takes us.

I want my client’s personality to be visible in the space, but, at the same time, I try to push them to be open to new ideas. It is really important that you have a client that gives you direction, but allows you to take it somewhere.

“The key to this space is the high-gloss lacquer built-ins that create a focal point. But everything is seamlessly integrated into one unit, so it doesn’t feel overpowering,” Klein explains.

You follow three key design principles — ensuring that spaces flow well together, considering the home’s geographic location, and creating timeless interiors — can you talk more about this?

When talking about flow, I always look at the house as a whole. The rooms need to flow and there needs to be a common theme throughout the house, especially as open-plan living has become so popular in recent years.When talking about flow, I always look at the house as a whole. The rooms need to flow and there needs to be a common theme throughout the house, especially as open-plan living has become so popular in recent years.

A home’s geographic location also makes a big difference in how we design it. A house that is located next to the ocean is going to be designed very different than an apartment in Paris or a townhome in New York City. You have to think about the privacy, lights, colors and what the house will be used for.

Creating timeless interiors is probably the most important out of the three principles. I have many clients who tell me how much they still love our designs eight or 10 years later. I like designing homes that feel comfortable, but elegant and luxurious at the same time. There is nothing worse to me than not being able to sit on a piece of furniture, or for the home to feel like a museum. It is really important that the spaces we design feel good to live in.

Photos courtesy of Brigit Klein Interiors.

Not all trends have staying power  — some of interior design’s most lasting legacies started out as fads, while other trends seem to have vanished as fast as they appeared. Along with selecting sustainable products, it is important to take a closer look at black finishes, marble in home products, bright colors and geometric patterns.

Three Feel-Good Sustainable Products

Not only does green living reduce the carbon footprint today, but it paves the way for a better tomorrow. For starters, Malvina from Newport Brass exceeds WaterSense requirements while meeting water-saving standards set forth by the California Energy Commission and CALGreen. Meanwhile, the Tinka collection from Les Jardins Solar Lighting features interchangeable solar lighting modules. Not only are they transposable across the entire Les Jardins Solar Lighting line, but the module produces 500 lumens of LED light and up to 200 hours of life per charge. And finally, the LED BUSTER Bulb from Buster + Punch is an innovative eco-friendly LED alternative to traditional filament bulbs and the first to implement novel changes in design. In the end, any of these must-have products not only help the environment, but help us feel good, too.

Malvina
Newport Brass

Geometric lines and exact planes come together in Newport Brass’ new Malvina faucet, an engineering marvel inspired by the iconic smooth stucco and concrete of contemporary architecture. Whether it’s the solid-brass rectangular lever or perfectly scaled cross handles, all fixtures are meticulously shaped and expertly finished at Newport Brass’ California facility in order to achieve a striking and precise design. With a deep commitment to sustainable manufacturing processes, Newport Brass takes pride in energy-saving methods that shrink emissions, recycle materials, enhance resources, and lessen waste.

Tinka
Les Jardins Solar Lighting

A true standout in modern design, Tinka brings a whole new meaning to green living. Available in teak or colorful aluminum finishes, the light is a must-have for brightening backyard gatherings, glamping trips and every adventure along the way. The replaceable and interchangeable solar LED module can simply swap out your old solar modules with new ones as our renewable lighting technology evolves. Because our lanterns are designed to be timeless, they can travel with you through life and never end up in a landfill. With dimming capabilities and a motion sensor, a lantern from the Les Jardins Solar Lighting collection is far more than just attractive outdoor lighting: It brings luxury within reach and embraces cutting-edge solar technology at the same time.

LED BUSTER Bulb
Buster + Punch

Magic happens inside the resin light base at the center of the LED BUSTER Bulb. That’s because it performs two incredible functions: a focused spotlight to illuminate surfaces below and a warm ambient glow to light faces and spaces around it. With an E26 base, it can also be used as a direct replacement for standard screw-thread incandescent bulbs. Defining the next evolution in an industry that is undergoing a change in ideals, the LED BUSTER Bulb raises the bar in lighting technologies.

Photos courtesy of DRS and Associates.

Photo by Rich Montalbano

 

Mid-Century Modern design came onto the scene before color television. But rather than appearing antiquated today, it inspires contemporary designers and homebuyers.

 

The popularity of Mid-Century Modern design continues to accelerate, confirmation that the masters who introduced the look in the ’40s and ’50s were visionary innovators. Decades later, the work of those architects, interior designers and furniture makers still appears fresh, and current expressions of modernism invariably build on the mid-century movement.

 

Sam Lubell, a leading authority on Mid-Century Modern design, whose books include Mid-Century Modern Travel Guide: West Coast USA and California Captured, believes the genre’s enduring appeal can be attributed to simple, elegant aesthetics, the success in reducing architecture to its most basic elements, and nostalgia. “Mid-Century Modern is a blend of technology, simplicity and a style that’s very ‘cool,’ for lack of a better word, enhancing people’s appreciation of it,” says Lubell. The writer suggests that vintage photographs from the era reveal how truly revolutionary Mid-Century Modern architects were. “Cars in the photos appear to have nothing to do with the houses. It’s hard to describe just how radical and ahead of their time they were,” he observes.

 

In the U.S., passions for Mid-Century Modern residential design burned first and most intensely in and around Los Angeles, responding to trends already underway in Europe, but not so elegantly applied to single-family residences. In a city where challenging established convention was not discouraged, disciples of Frank Lloyd Wright — pioneering architects Rudolph Schindler, Richard Neutra and John Lautner — transformed residential aesthetics and attitudes.

 

The genesis of Mid-Century Modernism may have occurred in the City of Angels, but today’s epicenter of the style is Palm Springs, the desert resort city 100 miles east of L.A. Practically the entire municipality is a living museum of mid-century design, and that signature aesthetic has become as much a tourist attraction as Palm Springs’ legendary golf, tennis and shopping.

 

Every February, the community celebrates its architectural legacy with Modernism Week, where architects, designers and collectors from around the world draw inspiration from home tours, seminars, film screenings, and receptions in famous settings that include not just residences, but Mid-Century Modern hotels and restaurants.

 

Lisa Vossler Smith, who served as a volunteer for Modernism Week when it debuted in 2006 and was named executive director five years ago, reports the 2018 edition drew 126,000 people from 15 countries, more than double the attendance in 2015. She has observed an ever-increasing commitment by local residents to embrace their city’s architectural heritage and believes Modernism Week has profoundly influenced preservation efforts in Palm Springs and beyond. “Our goal is to educate visitors, so they can take back what they’ve learned to their own communities,” says Vossler Smith, who actively supports similar events across the country. 

 

Vossler Smith insists the fascination with Mid-Century Modern design is multigenerational, while conceding popular shows like Mad Men have contributed to the genre’s hip factor. “Clearly, there’s a sense of nostalgia for the baby boomer generation, but we find younger homebuyers are also attracted by the more simplistic, minimalistic lifestyle offered by these homes,” she says. “We’re now starting to explore new building projects informed by the mid-century design period,” says Modernism Week’s executive director, noting the influence of trailblazers such as Neutra and Schindler is evident in contemporary modern architecture.

 

While Vossler Smith admits Mid-Century Modernism is ideally suited to Southern California, she reports outstanding examples from the era are plentiful in places like Denver, Phoenix and Chicago. In Denver, real estate broker Adrian Kinney is a local expert on Mid-Century Modern homes, and his personal renovation of a Cliff May-designed residence reinforced his enthusiasm for quality design from that period. Finding some modernism too austere, Kinney was delighted to discover the warmth that many mid-century architects, like May, brought to their craft. “The more I learned, the more I wanted to educate everyone about what this modernism thing was all about!,” says the real estate professional.

 

“Buyers of Mid-Century Modern properties range from boomers to millennials, all wanting something different, functional and livable, with a sense of character,” says Kinney, who co-founded Denver’s own Modernism Show to draw attention to the Mile High City’s architectural assets. “After attending Palm Springs’ Modernism Week many times, I knew Denver needed to have one,” he says. Identifying more than 6,000 Mid-Century Modern homes in metro Denver, Kinney declares, “I want to showcase these to the world.”

 

Best known for its sugar-white beaches, the Gulf Coast city of Sarasota, Florida, shares a rich Mid-Century Modern heritage. Local broker Martie Lieberman of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty is recognized by both the real estate and architectural communities as an authority on the “Sarasota School of Architecture.”

 

Lieberman, who co-founded the Sarasota Architectural Foundation, is passionate about Mid-Century Modern homes and has made the sale of those properties her specialty. Observing that many houses from the Sarasota School elicit a sense of delight at first glance, she suggests the interiors are equally impactful. “You’ll see some of the most sophisticated uses of space and light, which most people have never experienced,” she insists.

 

Architects like Paul Rudolph and Victor Lundy created low-slung, glass-ensconced homes that were a dramatic departure from the prevailing Mediterranean style, explains Lieberman, noting they attracted idealistic young designers to Sarasota in the ’50s and ’60s. “They thought they would change the world with their new ideas, new materials and a new architecture,” she says. According to the niche broker, newcomers to Sarasota are quickly won over by the community’s architectural legacy, and Lieberman reports that significant Mid-Century Modern homes can command premiums of 15 to 35 percent.

A prefabricated home designed by legendary Mid-Century architect Cliff May, erected in 1955 in Denver.

 

Real estate broker Adrian Kinney restored this 1955 Cliff May property in Denver, fueling his passion for mid-century design.

 

Photos by Atom Stevens

This originally appeared in Unique Homes Fall 2018

 

Click here to view the digital edition.

The new Ombré finish for kitchen and bath faucets from Kohler uses an innovative technique that melds two vibrant metal finishes together to render a subtle but striking transition from light to dark.

Kohler has taken a familiar product and, inspired by the worlds of fashion and modern design, created an uncommon showpiece that is unlike anything else on the market.

The Ombré Vibrant finish makes use of Kohler’s proprietary physical vapor deposition process, which bonds the finish and faucet together at the molecular level, to create an incredibly strong surface that is both scratch- and tarnish-resistant. The finish comes in two fabrications: Vibrant Rose Gold to Vibrant Polished Nickel, and Vibrant Titanium to Vibrant Rose Gold.

The Ombré Vibrant finish is available on a curated selection of Kohler plumbing products: Components and Sensate. Homeowners can express their personal taste by using faucets with this finish as an integral design component for their home décor.

The word ombré, French for shadow or shade, has been seen on everything from haute couture gowns to celebrity hairstyles, and its ingenious use on what could be seen as an everyday product further establishes Kohler as the industry leader in finish innovation.

Photos courtesy of Jillian Rosone.

A stunning penthouse at Quay Tower — the new luxury high rise designed by LA-based Marmol Radziner on the Brooklyn Heights waterfront — just sold for more than $20 million, setting a new record for the most expensive home sale in Brooklyn history.

This is the first time Marmol Radziner has brought its California modernist aesthetic to New York City — the firm is best known for renovating iconic mid-century modern homes out west, including the famous Kaufmann House in Palm Springs.

With Quay Tower — and this penthouse in particular — Marmol Radziner creates a similar modernist experience of living in a home surrounded by nature. With tranquil views of the East River and New York Harbor, it’s easy to forget you’re in a 30-story structure in New York City.

Despite its elegant, modern design built with high-quality and natural materials, the ultra-luxe penthouse is meant to be lived in and loved. In the living room, a fireplace creates an intimate and inviting gathering space with stunning views of Manhattan.

The record-setting home combines two penthouses at the top of the building to create one incredible mansion with five-plus bedrooms and 7,433 square feet of living space, as well as a private 1,179-square-foot terrace.

A balance of intimacy and openness, indoor and outdoor and modernist meets warmth is tough to strike in a high-rise, and that is the real triumph of Marmol Radziner’s vision for Quay Tower.

Photos courtesy of Allison Walker.

Interest and research in driverless and self-parking cars is rapidly growing, as are ideas for how this technology may impact housing development.

By Camilla McLaughlin

 

The race is on among car manufacturers, tech companies and cities to develop reliable self-driving vehicles and required innovative infrastructure in what is being characterized as the third transportation revolution, one that possibly could have as dramatic of an impact as the automobile. Personal vehicles are only one facet of this future vision. Ride hailing services, shared ownership of cars, autonomous shuttles and buses, and self-driving trucks are all part of the scenario, along with Wi-Fi-enabled infrastructure and roadways that could charge cars. 

 

To illustrate how dramatic the transformation might be, futurist Jack Uldrich uses two photos of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. In a shot from 1900, horse-drawn vehicles fill the roadway. Thirteen years later, only one horse-drawn vehicle is in evidence, and cars and trucks take up the entire street.

 

“The transportation revolution will be a game changer for most real estate sectors” is the prediction of Green Street Advisors in a report, The Transportation Revolution: The impact of ride-hailing and driverless vehicles on real estate, prepared for the Urban Land Institute’s fall 2017 meeting.

 

“Most experts agree that the automobile as we know it will be largely obsolete by 2030. In its place will be fleets of driverless cars that shuttle people safely and efficiently through our city streets. But it’s the broader impacts of this technology that are a game-changer for the future of our cities and the human experience. The opportunity is not only to create new places that accommodate driverless cars, but to reshape our existing cities and towns into the kind of amenity-rich, vibrant places that we all enjoy,” observed architect Andy Cohen, co-CEO of Gensler.

Although a vast array of regulatory and legal challenges need to be addressed, consumer acceptance is considered most pivotal to the broader adaption of autonomous vehicles (AVs). Right now, few consumers have tried self-driving cars. Experts agree acceptance will only come with knowledge and experience.

 

One analogy often used to illustrate current apprehensions about new technology is the elevator, which initially was considered an incredibly risky innovation. “People didn’t want to get into it. Today, you and I don’t give a second thought to jumping on an elevator, and it whisks us up a hundred stories of a skyscraper. I think that same thing is going to happen with autonomous vehicles. We’re just soon going to get in a car, press a button and it’ll take us to our destinations without our thinking of it,” says Uldrich, who says the impact of the elevator also gives insight into the effect of technology on luxury real estate. “Before the elevator, wealthy people lived on the ground floor, and they made the servants walk up the stairs. But with the invention of the elevator, the penthouse then become the most desirable space. And so, technology sort of changed behavior in a curious way.”

 

“For consumers, the tipping point for large-scale adoption will come when not owning a car makes more financial and logistical sense than traditional ownership. Car enthusiasts, the affluent, and rural households will continue to own cars as AVs evolve,” explains Rich Palacios Jr., head of research for John Burns Consulting. Still, real estate agents in cities with high levels of congestion such as Boston or San Francisco are beginning to hear comments from high-end clients that they are planning to reduce the number of vehicles they own.

Even though many well-informed experts weigh in with varied opinions on potential transformations for real estate and housing, the only certainty is the change will be incremental, disruptive and far-reaching. “So, what impact will AVs and ride-sharing have on the housing market? We think a big one,” says Palacios. “A portion of the money once allotted to owning/renting a car should also free up for owning or renting a home.” As cars become more of a commodity, rather than a possession, costs such as fuel, maintenance and insurance will disappear along with loan/lease payments. “The boost to disposable income will be significant, once scaled,” says Palacios. Increases in productivity for individuals as well as industry are another expected result that will drive economic growth.

 

When the price of a parking space can exceed $300,000 or $400,000, even high-end consumers begin to examine the value of owning multiple vehicles. Conservative estimates suggest demand for parking could decline by 50 percent or more, freeing up extensive prime acreage. Already, in cities such as Chicago and Philadelphia, some former surface parking lots are being repurposed as mixed use or residential towers. Not only will the need for parking near prime buildings be eliminated, but overall, individual parking spaces will be smaller because autonomous vehicles do not require space to open and close doors when parked.

Some parking garages today are being designed with future adaptation to office or residential purposes in mind. Speaking at Trends 2018 sponsored by ULI Arizona, Veronica Siranosian, senior project manager with the global architecture and engineering planning firm AECOM Ventures, said they are recommending building new parking garages with flat floors and higher ceilings with the potential for HVAC and electrical.

 

Other changes she anticipates include mobility hubs that would incorporate bike share, drop off and pick up, automated shuttles and perhaps access to transit in one location. Additionally, building and street design will also have to consider added spaces for pick up and drop off.

 

Since most autonomous vehicles will be electric, the number of gas stations will also decline, further unlocking acres of what Palacios calls “prime real estate.” This reclaimed acreage will also improve the supply of homes in locations where inventories have historically been constrained, possibly dampening appreciation and enhancing affordability.

 

For a while, new construction in cities or close-in locations might impact interest in real estate in outlying suburbs, but in the long run demand for distant suburbs will reemerge as consumers realize they can use the time involved with longer commutes productively.

 

Overall, most expect to see a continued revival of cities. “What I am most excited about related to self-driving vehicles is society’s ability to envision better uses of the all-public space that is currently devoted to automobiles. In the future, I believe cities will have more green spaces, public parks, wider boulevards, and, perhaps, more affordable housing because we will be able to convert our garages and parking garages into fully functional living spaces,” says Uldrich.

 

“Get ready for more homes per acre, with the days of wide streets, massive driveways, and two-/three-car garages a thing of the past,” predicts Palacios. Higher density might be one potential outcome for residential real estate, but for consumers the result will be more livable square footage.

While fully autonomous driving seems many years away, planners and developers are already rethinking how new development needs to be planned. “We’re already seeing apartment developers shifting to zero parking. Innovative master-planned communities such as Florida’s new Babcock Ranch (eventually home to 50,000 residents) are already utilizing AV community shuttles, with the goal of having on-demand AVs that individual residents can use via smart-phone apps,” says Palacios.

 

For current homeowners, unused garage space will offer a range of opportunities to add amenities or create new uses from live/work options to multigenerational spaces.

 

For an aging population, new transportation options will be a game changer with the potential to alter where and how they live. Most projections envision a growing number staying in their existing homes rather than moving to assisted living.

 

The transportation revolution also makes a bullish case for the repair and remodel industry, and adaptation of homes for aging in place is only part of the push for renovations. The conversion of garages will also boost this real estate sector.

 

Two years ago, the idea of self-driving cars seemed more like science fiction than a near-term possibility. Today, despite the first traffic fatality from an AV, the push to develop this technology remains strong. Major automakers including General Motors and Ford as well as Waymo (a unit of Google’s Alphabet), Lyft and others continue to actively pursue the technology for both cars and trucks. A majority of automakers are moving toward semi-autonomous vehicles. GM, for example, has added hands-free cruise control to their Cadillac line along with vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication with similarly equipped vehicles that alerts drivers to disabled vehicles, sudden stops or a crash ahead. It’s also a good example of how autonomous vehicles will eventually communicate with one another as well as with infrastructure. GM recently petitioned the federal government to begin testing cars without steering wheels and pedals.

 

The National Transportation Safety Board defines five levels of vehicle autonomy. Current vehicles fall into levels 2AV and 3AV. One anticipated transition to fully autonomous vehicles at Level 5 is dedicated travel lanes enabling them to trail closer together and communicate with each other and infrastructure. Hypothetically, this scenario would facilitate the movement of traffic, but some experts hazard that AVs will only increase congestion.

 

California and Arizona are on the forefront of the transportation revolution, incubating new technologies including potential use without a driver in the car. In late January, Waymo got a permit to operate as a Transportation Network Company in Arizona, which allows Waymo’s fleet of driverless minivans to pick up and drop off paying riders through a smartphone app or website. Other states including Texas, Ohio and Michigan are also proactively working on AVs.

 

Any look ahead also requires a look back at predictions that went wrong, including one notable projection, pegging the number of cellular phones at the end of the 20th century at just under a million. For driverless vehicles, estimates of the time frame for adoption might not hit the mark, but few would deny that transportation’s future will not involve steering wheels and brake pedals. 



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