A Call for “Car-Lite” Communities
Our Mission? Moving the U.S. Beyond Car Dependency
One of the most wicked problems of our time.
The Big Car Problem
Personal car ownership, and car-dependent infrastructure, is a badly outdated system. It’s unsafe, it’s expensive, it’s polluting, and it detracts from the quality of life in our cities and suburbs.
Car dependency stunts our lives—our choices, our time, and our freedom. Over 30 years since the Internet arrived, we’re still stuck living like it’s 1970—depending on oversized, costly personal vehicles for getting anywhere.
How do we get unstuck from this Big Car Problem?
The Mobility Mesh
Mobility Mesh is a framework I developed to describe what actually works. The solution isn’t one mode, or one silver bullet. It’s about many modes, connected—facilitated by virtual connectivity. Many “snacks” that add up to a full meal.
Digital access. Better proximity. Better services. And various right-sized modes supported: walking, biking, small vehicles, public transit, carsharing, ridehailing… And here come the robotaxis. Together, this adds up to a Mobility Mesh.
Why “New Mobility” Hasn’t Been Enough
Starting in 1996 at Institute of Transportation Studies - UC Davis, we imagined a smarter, multimodal future—better than owning a big car. We called it “New Mobility.”
But: small cars didn’t scale. Carsharing struggled. Ride-hailing grew—but car ownership rates barely fell. Even good ideas failed to break car dependency.
Robotaxis Change the Equation
Robotaxis offer a profound transformation to our world. But only if autonomous mobility is applied in a meaningful manner. People won’t ditch their car for a robotaxi alone. We still need:
Better walking + biking
More quality destinations close to us
Better transit options
Better carsharing for longer trips
Robotaxis enable the Mobility Mesh—they don’t replace it.
2030: A New Answer
Q: “Do You Own a Car?”
A: “No, I live a Car-Lite lifestyle. I use a number of different modes of mobility to get around. I live in a place with a great Mobility Mesh. I’m a proud MESHr! I’m much healthier, happier, and have saved lots of money this way.”