Automated Vehicles and the Rethinking of Mobility and Cities

Alessandrini, Adriano; Campagna, Andrea; Site, Paolo Delle; Filippi, F.; Persia, Luca · 2015 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1016/j.trpro.2015.01.002

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Summary

This paper, stemming from the EU-funded CityMobil2 project, investigates the potential impacts of automated vehicles (AVs) on European urban mobility and city structures. Motivated by the inefficiencies of current private car ownership—where vehicles remain idle for most of the day—and emerging trends such as aging populations, declining car ownership among youth, and the rise of car-sharing, the authors propose a paradigm shift from owning vehicles to purchasing mobility services. The study aims to develop a "cybernetic city" vision centered on automated collective public transport, automated urban freight distribution, and shared automated individual vehicles. The methodology involves a forward-looking exercise assessing the likelihood and desirability of these scenarios. Likelihood is evaluated by identifying factors impacting market take-up, while desirability is gauged through stakeholder consultations and a Delphi survey with international experts. The paper categorizes Automated Road Transport Systems (ARTS) into four types: Personal Rapid Transit (PRT), CyberCars (CC), High Tech Buses (HTB), and Dual-Mode Vehicles (DMV). It analyzes the effectiveness of these systems across various urban origins and destinations using a Passenger Application Matrix, identifying DMVs integrated into innovative car-sharing schemes as the most effective solution for flexible, door-to-door urban mobility. The findings outline a future transport system where automation and ICT enable efficient management of shared fleets. In this vision, users access vehicles on-demand via smartphones, eliminating the need for parking search and reducing congestion. The paper highlights that automated vehicles can significantly reduce the space required for parking, potentially freeing up public space for pedestrians and cyclists. For freight, the authors propose automated, modular light-duty vehicles operating from urban consolidation centers to handle last-mile deliveries efficiently and environmentally. The analysis suggests that widespread adoption of AVs could lead to a complete market penetration of driverless vehicles by 2060, driven by technological convergence and regulatory frameworks. The significance of this research lies in its projection of substantial positive impacts on urban livability and social equity. The authors conclude that automated car-sharing systems would reduce the total number of vehicles needed, lower emissions through electric propulsion and optimized maintenance, and enhance safety. Crucially, AVs would improve mobility for elderly and disabled individuals who cannot drive, fostering a more inclusive society. The paper emphasizes that achieving this vision requires coordinated policy actions, including the development of certification frameworks and infrastructure adaptations, to facilitate the transition from private ownership to shared, automated mobility services.

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