“A world of autonomous vehicles is coming fast, and professionals had better be ready. This is the persuasive message of Winston and Karpilow’s book. Sophisticated yet easy to digest, the book explains the technological landscape, credibly estimates autonomous vehicles’ economic effects, and offers perceptive guidelines for government policy.”—Kenneth Small, professor emeritus of economics, University of California at Irvine

“Autonomous vehicles offer the promise of revolutionizing American transportation, but that promise will only be realized with the right policies. As Cliff Winston and Quentin Karpilow make clear in this excellent book, the policy hurdles to an autonomous future may be far more daunting than the remaining technological hurdles. This book is indispensable reading for anyone who cares about the technological transformation of transportation through autonomous vehicles.”—Edward Glaeser, Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics, Harvard University

“In Autonomous Vehicles, Winston and Karpilow make a strong case that these vehicles can potentially bring very large economic benefits based on intelligent extrapolation of existing research results and original data analysis. Government policy also has a major role to play in the transition period, but there are reasons to worry about the ability of governments to conduct this transition in a timely and efficient manner. Winston and Karpilow’s effort should be applauded, as it offers both food for thought and detailed policy prescriptions.”—Gilles Duranton, Dean’s Chair in Real Estate Professor, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Autonomous vehicles will soon become a significant presence on streets and highways—not just a novel experiment. By reducing congestion and virtually eliminating vehicle accidents, their emergence represents a watershed moment in the history of transportation that promises to vastly improve road travel, generate huge benefits for travelers and businesses, and spur economic growth.

But Winston and Karpilow stress that policymakers at all levels of government must play a part by taking prompt and effective actions to ensure that autonomous vehicles will be safe and efficient when the public begins to adopt them widely. The coronavirus ravaging the world has given new urgency and importance to expediting the adoption of autonomous vehicles so that they can facilitate social distancing and reduce the disruption of economic and other activities.