Abstract
The deployment of intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) is regarded as a significant solution to improve road safety, transportation management, and energy efficiency. This study assessed the safety, traffic, environmental, and industrial economic benefits of ICV deployment in China under different scenarios. A bottom-up model was established to deal with these impacts within a unified framework, based on the existing theories and literature of ICVs’ cost–benefit analysis, as well as China’s most recent policies and statistics. The results indicate that the total benefits may reach 13.25 to 24.02 trillion renminbi (RMB) in 2050, while a cumulative benefit–cost ratio of 1.15 to 3.06 suggests high cost-effectiveness. However, if the government and industry only focus on their own interests, the break-even point may be delayed by several years. Hence, an effective business model is necessary to enhance public–private cooperation in ICV implementation. Meanwhile, the savings of travel time costs and fleet labor costs play an important part in all socioeconomic impacts. Therefore, the future design of ICVs should pay more attention to the utilization of in-vehicle time and the real substitution for human drivers.
Highlights
The increasing number of vehicles is posing severe social problems worldwide, including accidental fatalities and injuries, traffic congestion, energy consumption, and air pollution
Zhao, et al [12] employed traffic simulations to explore the traffic impacts of adaptive cruise control (ACC) in China, and the results showed that the average travel time could decrease by about 30% on urban roads, and about a 10% reduction on highways and rural roads
Sustainability 2019, 11, 3273 scenarios composed of different assumptions about energy intensity and fleet mileage were considered, and the results indicated that total road transport energy could decline by 40% or grow by more than 100%
Summary
The increasing number of vehicles is posing severe social problems worldwide, including accidental fatalities and injuries, traffic congestion, energy consumption, and air pollution. ICVs are regarded as a vital component of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and a sustainable automotive industry. China has been the largest automotive market around the world with a vehicle population of 240 million at the end of 2018, leading to many challenges in transportation management, energy security, and environmental protection. China is regarded as one of the first regions to deploy ICVs on a large scale [5]. During this long-term evolution, a large number of resources will be needed to promote the wide deployment of ICVs and their corresponding infrastructures. A comprehensive and in-depth study into the benefits and costs of ICVs is essential for policy makers and business managers to formulate future strategies. A cost–benefit analysis in China will provide a useful reference for other countries
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
