Abstract

The emergence of automated vehicles (AVs) may potentially transform the ways in which individuals travel, and integrating the impacts and opportunities of AVs into travel demand forecasts and transportation planning will be important for wise decision-making. This paper presents findings from focus groups designed to explore Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) residents’ interest and responses to AVs. Results suggest that the general public is interested in AVs and eager to learn more, and that individual travel habits carry significant weight. The findings from this study emphasize the planner’s responsibility to engage in consultations internally, within organizations and across departments, as well as externally, with stakeholders and members of the community. On-going internal and external engagements will first allow organizations to prepare and consolidate appropriate strategies for this disruptive technology, and second, will keep the public sphere informed and engaged in the implementation of AVs. Key words: automated vehicles, planning, transportation, travel behaviour, focus groups.

Highlights

  • Transportation planning could benefit from leveraging automated technologies where they relate to shared mobility and intermodal transit, creating opportunities for cities to become increasingly interconnected

  • Individuals are interested in learning more about the technology but remain reluctant to change their travel habits

  • Findings emphasize a need for policymakers to focus their efforts on Automated vehicles (AVs) as an object of action, in order to determine how to regulate this technology for the greater good

Read more

Summary

Introduction

New economies and emerging technologies are constantly reshaping the urban landscape of cities. Potential benefits of automated vehicles range from reduced greenhouse gas emissions, lower demand for parking infrastructure, increased road safety (reduced road accidents caused by human error), and increased accessibility for individuals with physical or psychological mobility issues (Alessandrini et al, 2015; Daziano et al, 2016). Benefits such as fuel and parking savings, as well as reduced commute times could potentially represent $2,000 in savings per active AV in annualized costs (Bansal & Kockelman, 2015). There are concerns relating to market demand and cost (i.e. affordability)

Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Full Text
Published version (Free)

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 call