TY - JOUR
T1 - Autonomous driving, the built environment and policy implications
AU - Fraedrich, Eva
AU - Heinrichs, Dirk
AU - Bahamonde-Birke, Francisco J.
AU - Cyganski, Rita
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2019/4
Y1 - 2019/4
N2 - This article seeks to clarify how autonomous vehicles (AV) could affect urban planning and the built environment, to what extent these effects are compatible with municipalities’ existing objectives, and what lessons can be drawn from that. The paper combines a systematic review of the literature, a quantitative online survey, and qualitative interviews with representatives from urban transport planning authorities in Germany. Four concrete ‘use-cases’ were applied to structure the survey. Results show that respondents are rather skeptical about the compatibility of AV with existing transport and urban planning objectives, above all to strengthen non-motorized transportation and to promote public transportation. Particularly, automating private motorized travel appears not to match municipal planning perspectives. On the contrary, transport planners think that shared autonomous vehicles as a complement to public transport systems are more appropriate to support urban development strategies. Their most prominent concern with respect to AV is the expectation that car travel will increase with AV, propagating problems like congestion and negative environmental effects. However, survey respondents expect that effects differ quite strongly depending on how AV will occur. As a lesson, the study suggests that different AV use-cases should receive specific attention to explore their potentials and challenges. The study likewise suggests to, given the discrepancy between the objectives of urban transport planning and federal government's policy focus, consider consolidating the communal strategic positions on research and development priorities. The results indicate a demand for studies that demonstrate how AV can respond to more fundamental challenges and goals that city planner's face. Given the wide range of potential implications, the study suggests to broaden the debate from its present primary focus on the transport planning domain to city planning and development.
AB - This article seeks to clarify how autonomous vehicles (AV) could affect urban planning and the built environment, to what extent these effects are compatible with municipalities’ existing objectives, and what lessons can be drawn from that. The paper combines a systematic review of the literature, a quantitative online survey, and qualitative interviews with representatives from urban transport planning authorities in Germany. Four concrete ‘use-cases’ were applied to structure the survey. Results show that respondents are rather skeptical about the compatibility of AV with existing transport and urban planning objectives, above all to strengthen non-motorized transportation and to promote public transportation. Particularly, automating private motorized travel appears not to match municipal planning perspectives. On the contrary, transport planners think that shared autonomous vehicles as a complement to public transport systems are more appropriate to support urban development strategies. Their most prominent concern with respect to AV is the expectation that car travel will increase with AV, propagating problems like congestion and negative environmental effects. However, survey respondents expect that effects differ quite strongly depending on how AV will occur. As a lesson, the study suggests that different AV use-cases should receive specific attention to explore their potentials and challenges. The study likewise suggests to, given the discrepancy between the objectives of urban transport planning and federal government's policy focus, consider consolidating the communal strategic positions on research and development priorities. The results indicate a demand for studies that demonstrate how AV can respond to more fundamental challenges and goals that city planner's face. Given the wide range of potential implications, the study suggests to broaden the debate from its present primary focus on the transport planning domain to city planning and development.
KW - Autonomous driving
KW - Built environment
KW - Systemic analysis
KW - Transportation planning
KW - Transportation policy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044080865&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.tra.2018.02.018
DO - 10.1016/j.tra.2018.02.018
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85044080865
SN - 0965-8564
VL - 122
SP - 162
EP - 172
JO - Transportation Research Part A-Policy and Practice
JF - Transportation Research Part A-Policy and Practice
ER -