Robo-rides and city life: what could go right ... or wrong?

In the not-so-distant future, your ride might not have a driver – or even a steering wheel. In this provocative talk, Dr Mohsen Mohammadzadeh will explore the promises and perils of shared electric autonomous vehicles (SEAVs) and what they might mean for the way we live, move and plan our cities.

Could robo-rides reduce congestion and carbon emissions? Or will they deepen inequality, automate away public space and challenge our deeply rooted attachment to private car ownership? In a society built around cars as symbols of freedom and identity, are we ready to share – and surrender control? Drawing on case studies, behavioural insights and critical planning theory, Mohsen invites us to ask: what could go right – or wrong – when we hand over the wheel?

Bio

Dr Mohsen Mohammadzadeh is a senior lecturer in urban planning at the University of Auckland. His research examines the intersections of emerging urban technologies, disruptive mobility futures and their social, political and spatial implications for cities, including the transformative impacts of shared electric autonomous vehicles. He is a leading voice on how SEAVs could reshape urban life, governance, public space and the built environment. Mohsen is also active in global academic networks and has published widely on planning theory, digital urbanism and critical infrastructure transformation.

Event

8:00pm @Wynyard Pavilion, 17 Jellicoe Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010

Also speaking at this location at 6:00pm is Justin O’Sullivan