Robotaxis and the most contested real estate in modern cities: the curb
Thu, Oct 01
|Zoom Webinar
URF is hosting this panel discussion to explore the challenges and opportunities inherent in managing the infrastructure to support mobility innovations like Robotaxis and Public-area Mobile Robots.
Time & Location
Oct 01, 2026, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. EDT
Zoom Webinar
About the event
Register on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/rxt7SbNXQFu-4JllxCA4Ag
As autonomous passenger vehicles transition from pilot projects to everyday urban transit, the primary challenge has shifted from driving mechanics to curb governance.
Based on Chapter 5 of the Urban Robotics Foundation's whitepaper, Robots in Public: Building the Governance Framework for Shared Human-Robot Spaces, this panel explores the complexities when robotaxis stop at the curb. When a driverless vehicle stops to pick up or drop off passengers, it ceases to behave as a mere road vehicle and becomes an active, public-area mobile robot interacting with pedestrians, cyclists, transit zones, and municipal infrastructure.
Join our expert panel as we examine the physical, regulatory, and technical complications cities face at the curb. We'll explore how municipalities, robotaxi operators, and standards bodies can build a cohesive governance framework and collaborate to mitigate risks and maximize the benefits of these mobility-as-a-service innovations.