Partially automated vehicles increase VMT

Numerous studies have raised concerns that self-driving cars could flood our roads with more traffic, as commuters travel longer distances and cars drive themselves in and out of central cities to avoid parking. Fully autonomous vehicles are probably a ways off, giving policymakers time to grapple with the potential impacts, but new research suggests that even common features found in cars today like adaptive cruise control and lane guidance lead to increased vehicle miles traveled.

How might travelers behave with privately-owned AVs?

In many ways, we can only speculate about a future with autonomous vehicles on the road. The effects on vehicle miles traveled are expected to be very different if AVs are privately owned versus shared. A recent post on Jalopnick reviews a study published in 2018, that focuses on the question of individual ownership. The results point to a potential worst-case-scenario; a catastrophic increase in VMT that could occur with the introduction of privately-owned AVs.

Auto-braking is becoming more common, but the tech is still evolving

One hope for reversing the growing death toll among pedestrians and cyclists lies in technology that senses crashes before they happen and avoids them. About half the new cars sold have automated emergency braking technology, and these systems have the potential to prevent thousands of crashes each year. But AEB in some cars is far from perfect, as a recent AAA report shows. Even under ideal conditions, the cars tested often hit pedestrian dummies.

Autonomous boat “bridge” proposed in Amsterdam

A group of autonomous vessel developers is proposing a new way to move people through the unique urban-aquatic environment of Amsterdam. A small fleet of autonomous, electric boats (Roboats) is being designed to travel between the Marineterrein area and the city center, including the busy NEMO science museum. The potential use of autonomous technology here serves the dual purposes of increasing the accessibility of the area, by reducing the walk time by ten minutes, and showcasing this leading-edge technology.

Why cities aren’t preparing for autonomous vehicles

A study evaluating municipal planning for autonomous vehicles found that an overwhelming majority of cities have done little to prepare for their arrival. At the same time, many of those cities have concerns about the negative impacts AVs could bring along with the substantial benefits, from increased vehicle miles traveled and congestion to reduced transit ridership and increased sprawl.

AVs: Some intersections may get more dangerous before they get safer

Many imagine a future with fleets of autonomous vehicles seamlessly traversing road networks, wirelessly connected, perfectly aware of their surroundings and other vehicles, expertly avoiding conflicts. But what happens during the transition from manually-driven to fully-autonomous cars? As the share of AVs increases, some intersections may get more dangerous before they get safer, says a new paper by Australian researchers.

The hype cycle of autonomous vehicles

Several recent articles have addressed a significant shift in public perception toward autonomous vehicles over the course of 2018. While some studies and reports pointed out the challenges AVs are likely to pose to communities, or raised skepticism about the rosier claims around safety, timing, and level of adoption, in general transportation industry and public expectations were high. However, 2018 was a bad year for AVs.

Tolling strategies may mitigate the impact of AVs on VMT and congestion

The anticipated shift to autonomous vehicles raises several concerns, among them are whether AVs will increase total vehicle miles traveled, exacerbate congestion, or replace the use of transit and active modes. A new study focused on Austin, TX, models the effects that two adoption scenarios may have, comparing the results to current conditions. The experiment shows a jump in VMT, increased congestion, and a shift away from public transportation. The authors then mitigate the scenarios by applying four tolling schemes, and examine the results.

Tolling strategies may mitigate the impact of AVs on VMT and congestion

The anticipated shift to autonomous vehicles raises several concerns, among them are whether AVs will increase total vehicle miles traveled, exacerbate congestion, or replace the use of transit and active modes. A new study focused on Austin, TX, models the effects that two adoption scenarios may have, comparing the results to current conditions. The experiment shows a jump in VMT, increased congestion, and a shift away from public transportation. The authors then mitigate the scenarios by applying four tolling schemes, and examine the results.