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2020: Urban Planning Techniques and Sustainable Design for Autonomous Vehicles

Student-Led, Faculty-Guided Project

Authors: Dana Dake

Summary

This project will shed new light on autonomous vehicles and the impacts that such a new form of mobility will present in many different ways. The research completed during this project will analyze sustainable design and urban planning techniques that are involved in the development of autonomous vehicles in Michigan. The information gathered will provide the necessary data for a comprehensive analysis of economic, social, and environmental infrastructure needs that will emerge as autonomous vehicle incorporation progresses as it will continue to do so.

Author Information

Dana Dake is a transportation professional working over three years in the Environmental Services Section at the Michigan Department of Transportation. She recently graduated from Michigan State University with a Master's Degree in Urban and Regional Planning with a research focus on connected and autonomous vehicles.

Jeff Smith is Director of the University Corporate Research Park UCRP at MSU Foundation. In this role, Jeff manages and directs the real estate and economic development opportunities on behalf of the MSU Foundation. This includes development and construction within the Research Park system, and management of Research Park facilities, the VanCamp Incubator and Research Labs, and the Technology Innovation Center. His goal continues to focus on leveraging university, corporate research, and community technologies toward commercialization and expansion of the marketplace. 

Jeff’s prior roles included Director of the New Economy Division for Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP); Project Manager for the City of East Lansing; Senior Analyst for Anderson Economic Group; and Network Engineer for AT&T Broadband/Comcast. Jeff is a proud graduate of Michigan State University, earning both a Bachelors in telecommunications and a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning.

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