Compatibility of Automated Vehicles in Street Spaces: Considerations for a Sustainable Implementation

Soteropoulos, Aggelos; Berger, Martin; Mitteregger, Mathias · 2021 · Crossref

DOI: 10.3390/su13052732

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Summary

This paper addresses the compatibility of Automated Vehicles (AVs) with street spaces, specifically examining how AV-induced changes in traffic volume affect the needs of pedestrians and cyclists. While previous research has largely focused on city-wide impacts of AVs, such as increased Vehicle-Miles-Traveled (VMT), few studies have analyzed these effects at the street level or assessed their compatibility with other street users. The authors argue that increased traffic volume and denser traffic flows facilitated by AVs can impair street permeability and increase the "barrier effect," creating physical and psychological impediments for non-motorized users. The study aims to determine where and how AVs can be sustainably implemented by evaluating these local conflicts. The study employs a case study of Vienna, Austria, utilizing the Multi-Agent Transport Simulation (MATSim) framework to model various AV scenarios. Input data for agent activities were derived from anonymized mobile phone trajectories, creating a synthetic population for the simulation. The authors modeled scenarios involving Shared Automated Vehicles (SAVs) and private AVs, considering factors such as ridesharing, stop-based services, and changes in the value of time. To assess compatibility, the authors applied a GIS-based "compensatory approach" to the street network, which was segmented into links of up to 100 meters. This method evaluates the compatibility of traffic volumes with other street uses by accounting for specific street characteristics, such as typology and surrounding land use. The results indicate that the impact of AVs on street space compatibility is unevenly distributed across the city. For Shared Automated Vehicles (SAVs), a deterioration in compatibility is observed primarily in dense inner-city areas due to increased traffic volume and high existing competing uses. Conversely, SAVs, particularly those with stop-based services, show potential for improved compatibility on main roads in the city outskirts. In contrast, private AVs, especially when linked to an overall increase in road capacity, lead to a deterioration in compatibility across parts of the higher-level street network. This exacerbates the barrier effect of major streets, further separating communities and reducing permeability for pedestrians and cyclists. The significance of these findings lies in providing actionable insights for policymakers and stakeholders regarding the sustainable implementation of AVs. The authors conclude that SAVs should be prioritized in city outskirts as a complement to public transport, while their implementation in the lower-level street networks of inner cities should be restricted or accompanied by measures that enhance compatibility, such as improved walking and cycling infrastructure. The study highlights the necessity of integrating street-level compatibility assessments into AV planning strategies to ensure that mobility innovations do not compromise the quality of urban public spaces for non-motorized users.

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