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Planning for connected autonomous vehicles

Alkhanizi, Jannat; Forrester, Edward; Lyons, Glenn; Mackay, Kate

Authors

Jannat Alkhanizi

Edward Forrester

Profile image of Glenn Lyons

Glenn Lyons Glenn.Lyons@uwe.ac.uk
Professor of Future Mobility

Kate Mackay



Abstract

Connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) are increasingly in the news, and speculation about their role in a future mobility system is widespread. Transport authorities face the task of determining what part they should play in this unfolding story.

This will involve addressing governance, and supply- and demand-side developments. There are challenges arising from divergent views and values between stakeholders, technical, social and economic uncertainty, lack of evidence, and complex interrelations with wider developments.

To help our clients in considering and addressing these challenges, we have crowdsourced the key problems and questions and set out responses. This report is the product of connected thinking from nearly 90 professionals across the Mott MacDonald business globally.

The report highlights the multiple dimensions of uncertainty relating not only to what a CAV-based future of mobility could look like but how to achieve it. The need for strong planning is paramount. Transport authorities need to play an active part in shaping the future for the communities they serve. They should ask what CAVs can do for their own higher-level vision for the future regarding economic prosperity, wellbeing and social equity, and environmental sustainability.

Our towns and cities need to continue to evolve in ways that place the needs of their populations at the heart – pursuing developments centred on people and placemaking rather than vehicles. Addressing such needs calls for a participatory approach in order to identify how to achieve an equitable and inclusive outcome from what CAVs could offer.

People’s behaviours are changing and there is a significant prospect for society’s dependence on the private car to diminish as a new mobility regime emerges. To what extent this materialises is unclear because the breadth and depth of private car ownership and utility is significant. There are serious concerns that CAVs could pose a threat to public transport patronage and discourage walking and cycling, so exacerbating rather than relieving traffic problems.

Transport authorities need to guide the focus of CAV trials and developments so that they orientate CAVs towards acting in a complementary rather than competitive way to the modes that are key to urban vitality and sustainability. Transport infrastructure changes need to be flexible, allowing the opportunity to adapt over time in tandem with the uncertain nature of the transitional decades ahead.

There is a need for ongoing monitoring and horizon-scanning regarding people’s behaviours and lifestyles and also technological development. When the progression from technology readiness to CAV adoption and effects on system operation and performance takes place, there is a need to anticipate the consequences and take steps to avoid those that are undesirable. In a highly connected world, the scope for hype is considerable and we see it as essential to help our clients hear through the noise and identify the signals of importance.

Report Type Consultancy Report
Online Publication Date Jan 1, 2019
Publication Date Jan 1, 2019
Deposit Date Jan 3, 2024
Pages 1-31
Keywords CAVs, autonomous vehicles
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11548507
Publisher URL https://www.mottmac.com/download/file?id=36413&isPreview=True