Now imagine a city without private cars. A city where transportation is emissions-free, largely self-driving and connected to the internet. A city where cars, as well as taxis, buses, trains and bicycles, are shared. Instead of parked cars and concrete, city streets might be filled with mini parks, markets and more. A look at how innovation and technology are transforming the way we live, work and play.

What might self-driving cars do for people with a disability in places like the Central Coast? Notwithstanding recent improvements, the Coast still has a relatively poor public transport network, something that hinders people who cannot drive themselves to work or social engagements. And so it was with much anticipation I travelled to the Newcastle foreshore to experience for myself the driverless shuttle imported from France. If the shuttle was to be trialled and accepted here on the Central Coast, I could see it being a huge advantage to people living with disabilities, mobility issues, the elderly and people who are unable to drive. In 2016 approximately 6.4 per cent of people on the Central Coast needed help in their day-to-day lives due to disability.

Jutting out into the sea, the industrial port area of Nordhavn in Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, is currently being transformed into a futuristic waterfront city district made up of small islets. It's billed as Scandinavia's largest metropolitan development project and, when complete, will have living space for 40,000 people and workspace for another 40,000. At the moment, Nordhavn is only served by a nearby S-train station and bus stops located near the station. There are no buses or trains running within the development area, although there are plans for an elevated metro line, and parking will be discouraged in the new neighbourhood. This is a great opportunity for autonomous vehicles (AVs) to operate as a new public transport solution, connecting this area more efficiently, says Professor Dimitri Konstantas at the University of Geneva in Switzerland.

A driverless public shuttle is expected to make its Utah debut this year as state officials test the possibilities of autonomous vehicles. The Salt Lake Tribune reports the shuttle that holds about a dozen people is expected to begin operating in February at the state Capitol. It will initially travel sidewalks since autonomous cars aren't street legal. A state lawmaker is hoping to change that. Republican Rep. Robert Spendlove is proposing a bill that would allow autonomous vehicles on state roads and resolve other legal problems.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it had ordered Transdev North America to immediately stop transporting school children in Florida in a driverless shuttle as the testing could be putting them at'inappropriate' risk. The auto safety agency known as NHTSA said in an order issued late on Friday that Transdev's use of its EZ10 Generation II driverless shuttle in the Babcock Ranch community in southwest Florida was'unlawful and in violation of the company s temporary importation authorization.' 'Innovation must not come at the risk of public safety,' said Deputy NHTSA Administrator Heidi King in a statement. The NHTSA said it had ordered Transdev North America to immediately stop transporting school children in Florida in a driverless shuttle as the testing could be putting them at'inappropriate' risk. The EZ10 minibuses can carry up to six seated passengers and six standing. Like a metro, the shuttle buses run back and forth in a single traffic lane.

Yesterday afternoon, I rode an autonomous shuttle down a short section of Broadway in the heart of Times Square, and it was easily the most boring part of my day. I'm not saying that because my life is particularly exciting, either. The trip was boring because everything inside the Coast Autonomous P-1 worked exactly the way it was supposed to: The shuttle crawled up to a barricade on 47th Street, paused for a bit, and scooted back in the opposite direction toward 48th. In this case, the vehicle wasn't completely autonomous -- Coast CTO Pierre Lefevre manually started each leg of a trip with an Xbox Elite controller -- but the P-1 navigated its surroundings all own its own. That short trip was one of many small-scale tests the company has put on over the years, all of which speak to the commercial viability of tiny, driverless buses.

In Doraville, Ga., the developer of Assembly Yards, a mixed-use residential, office and retail project, is choosing between three autonomous vehicle companies to operate a driverless shuttle in the 165-acre project, which had been the site of a former General Motors plant. "We want our development to push the boundaries of new transit solutions," said Matt Samuelson, chief operating officer of Integral Group LLC, the developer of Assembly Yards. In the real-estate industry, interest in driverless vehicles is being fueled by a simple fact: Success in developments often hinges on the density of a project. Developers and property owners are angling to host autonomous vehicle trial programs in hopes that their rollout will lead people to rely on driverless ride-hailing options like Uber and Lyft rather than owning private vehicles--freeing up space for homes, offices and other uses that produce more income than parking spaces. In traditional retail real-estate projects, five parking spaces are needed for every 1,000 square feet of built floor area.

The nation's first driverless shuttle for public use will be picking up passengers and driving along a short loop in Las Vegas when the Consumer Electronics Show comes to town next week. The autonomous vehicle, which launched in November, is limited to eight passengers as it travels along a 3/5-mile loop in downtown Las Vegas. Locals and tourists as well as CES delegates may ride for free. The electronics show, one of the biggest annual events in Las Vegas, runs Jan. 7-12. The specific route for the Hop On project, a yearlong experiment incorporating new technology, may vary from day to day but will include three posted stops.

The small, blue shuttle drove defensively. Piloted entirely by computer, it followed the rules of the road like a student driver trying to impress an instructor. It approached the traffic signal, where it was set to turn right. On the corner, a pedestrian attempted to wave it on through before realizing there was no driver to heed his directive. The stalemate -- politeness verses programming -- only was broken when the light turned green and the shuttle could lawfully proceed.

Two driverless shuttles will begin operating at the University of Michigan this fall. The tall, airy, 15-passenger shuttles will carry students and staff in a two-mile loop on campus roads alongside regular traffic. The shuttle will be free and insured by the university. A driverless shuttle carries passengers at the University of Michigan, Wednesday, June 21, 2017, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Two driverless shuttles will begin operating at the university this fall. The tall, airy, 15-passenger shuttles will carry students and staff in a two-mile loop on campus roads alongside regular traffic.