A Brief History of Motion by Tom Standage Summary

Tom Standage explores 6,000 years of transportation evolution, from the wheel’s invention to modern autonomous vehicles, revealing how mobility innovations shaped societies. The book ties ancient practices (like Roman traffic management) to today’s challenges, such as car dependency and urban sprawl, while speculating on a future dominated by shared, electric, and self-driving transport.

History enthusiasts, urban planners, and technology adopters will gain insights into how transportation shaped civilizations. Environmental advocates will appreciate critiques of car-centric societies, while casual readers enjoy Standage’s engaging anecdotes, like the Laufmaschine (a pedal-less bicycle precursor).

Yes. Critics praise its blend of historical depth and timely analysis, noting Standage’s “burnished prose” (Wall Street Journal) and ability to contextualize modern debates about sustainable transport. However, some highlight omissions, like minimal discussion of car racing or particulate emissions’ health impacts.

• Social stratification: Early wheeled vehicles symbolized elite status, mirroring modern car culture.
• Urban adaptation: Cities expanded with each transit innovation, yet commute times remained ~30 minutes.
• Sustainability: Standage argues for rethinking car ownership to reduce congestion and emissions.

Despite being invented ~5,500 years ago, wheels were initially impractical without smooth roads. Standage notes their use shifted from pottery to transport only once infrastructure and domesticated animals (like oxen) enabled widespread use.

Roman cities used one-way streets and pedestrian zones, akin to modern traffic calming. Similarly, 19th-century debates about horse manure pollution foreshadowed today’s emissions crises.

Reviewers cite limited analysis of racing culture and underemphasis on health impacts from car exhaust (linked to ~400,000 annual deaths). Others desire deeper exploration of public transit’s future.

Standage envisions a shift from private cars to shared, electric, and autonomous vehicles. He highlights bike-sharing prototypes and “mobility-as-a-service” models as steps toward sustainable cities.

• The Laufmaschine (1817): A wooden, pedal-less “running machine” precursor to bicycles.
• Electric taxis (1897): New York City’s short-lived fleet, outpacing gasoline rivals until battery limitations halted adoption.

Like The Victorian Internet (telegraph history), this book uses historical analogies to dissect modern tech’s societal impact. However, it focuses more on physical infrastructure than communication tools.

It illustrates how cities evolved around transit tech—from medieval walkability to car-centric sprawl—and advocates redesigning streetscapes for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit to reduce reliance on cars.

• “The car era will not slam the door on itself”: Standage warns that systemic change requires intentional policy shifts, not passive waiting.
• “New technologies often mirror old problems”: Highlights recurring challenges like traffic congestion and social inequity across millennia.