The concept of “leapfrogging” over outdated infrastructure is an attractive one. Many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, have bypassed the need for costly and complex landline networks by adopting mobile phone technology directly. Similarly, in parts of India and Southeast Asia, mobile banking has flourished where traditional banking infrastructure was non-existent. China’s rapid development of high-speed rail is another example, enabled in part by the underdevelopment of its previous rail network.
So when one of Ireland’s foremost business leaders suggests Dublin could leapfrog its antiquated transport infrastructure, the idea is worth considering. Dermot Desmond proposes that instead of building MetroLink, the city should prepare for the arrival of autonomous vehicles, which he believes will meet its transport needs.
Unfortunately, Desmond’s suggestion misses the point entirely. Set aside for a moment the widespread scepticism over the supposed timeline for the adoption of this technology. And accept that AI-guided transport will significantly reduce car ownership and optimise traffic flow. In theory, AI could indeed transform urban mobility and promote more sustainable transport.
But Desmond’s vision overlooks Dublin’s fundamental issue: the sheer number of vehicles clogging surface streets. His proposal fails to consider the central purpose of the MetroLink project, which is not simply to improve access to the airport but to create a network that enables higher-density development in order to help meet Ireland’s climate commitments and address the glaring need for sustainable urban living.
RM Block
Instead, Desmond’s futuristic vision risks creating a new kind of gridlock, as fleets of robotaxis – some empty, some occupied – converge on the congested Victorian bottlenecks around the city.
As Colombian politician Enrique Peñalosa stated: “A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars, it’s where the rich use public transportation”. Whether driverless or not, that is the vision that remains to be achieved.
