Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous vehicles will require less parking in popular areas such as cities, since cars will be able to move without their owners. It will also enhance personal mobility especially with senior citizens or disabled users, as they are not required to be physically fit to use autonomous vehicles alone. Pedestrian environments could be more pleasant because the vehicles adhere to traffic laws more strictly. (Lecture) However, it is unclear how travel behavior will change exactly, since there is likely significant resistance against switching to autonomous vehicles, because commuters would like to do sufficient research about its safety and benefits before they choose to switch, so it is often more convenient to stick to their current mode of transport. There are thus many various possibilities of an automated future, with some predicting that more people will drive because people who could not drive before such as youth or seniors can now use cars. Some also speculate that there will be increased shared mobility and less car ownership, since shared mobility eliminates the concern of parking, insurance and maintenance. As such, it is a challenge for city planners to create transportation plans for the future, as there is much uncertainty over the desirability of public transport when autonomous vehicles are available to the public. Additionally, autonomous vehicles may also affect where people choose to live, thus affecting their need for public or private transportation. With all this uncertainty, it is difficult to prepare for autonomous vehicles. (Guerra: Cities, Automation, and the Self Parking Elephant in the Room)