Gridlock Sam, Killer Cars, and the Future of the City

Sam Schwartz is the legendary former Traffic Commissioner of New York City, credited with coining the word “gridlock” during the 1980 transit strike, earning him the moniker “Gridlock Sam.” In this episode, he talks about his new novel Autokill, a thriller the New York Times describes as a “nail-biter,” about a plot to turn self-driving cars into weapons. He also discusses the claims the autonomous vehicle industry is making and why they deserve scrutiny, and how all of it fits in with a historic but ongoing struggle between the visions of Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs. Plus, he offers a piece of advice to New York’s new mayor that anyone who cares about cities will want to hear.