by 2050 the world will be urban nearly
70% of the world's population will live
in cities many of them mega cities with
populations of more than 10 million
moving people around each megalopolis
will be a huge challenge the average
traffic speed in central London has
fallen to about 7 miles per hour
around the same speed it was 150 years
ago in the days of the horse-and-cart
but city planners are working on
solutions to the gridlock self-driving
cars will play a part it's predicted
they'll already be more than 30 million
autonomous cars on the road by 2040
autonomous vehicles are already in
operation in controlled areas for
example as airport shuttles by 2050 city
streets are likely to be patrolled by
Robo taxis that we can summon at a
single touch public transport will be
highly personalised no more scouring the
bus timetable instead internet-connected
transport shuttles will dynamically
route themselves according to where the
passengers need to go that slow last
mile of travel may shift to two wheels
electric scooters and bikes schemes will
proliferate they're still illegal in
many places
amid safety concerns but cities could
build special lanes to accommodate
riders jamming in southeast China
already has an 8 kilometer elevated
cycle way and academics worldwide are
designing much longer covered tubes to
protect riders high above city streets
that's another likely feature of urban
transport in 2050 it will be multi-level
companies like uber and lilium jet are
planning fleets of flying taxis electric
jets that can take off vertically from
landing pads dotted around the city
underground systems may include the
Hyperloop with travelpod parting Down
vacuum-sealed tubes at high speed
all that might mean more space at ground
level many cities are already turning
some central streets into pedestrian
zones urban transport in 2050 might for
many people return to the oldest form of
all