Automated Vehicles: Are Cities Ready to Adopt AVs as the Sustainable Transport Solution?

Arifuzzaman, Md; Amin, Shohel · 2025 · Crossref

DOI: 10.3390/su17052236

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Summary

This review paper investigates whether cities, specifically within the United Kingdom, are prepared to adopt automated vehicles (AVs) as a core component of sustainable urban transport systems. Motivated by the United Nations’ projection that 66% of the global population will reside in urban areas by 2050, the authors address the urgent need for mobility solutions that mitigate environmental, social, and economic challenges. The study explores the integration of AV technologies into existing infrastructure and policy frameworks, highlighting gaps in technology readiness, regulatory compliance, equity, public acceptance, and multimodal integration. The authors argue that while AVs offer significant potential for efficiency and sustainability, their adoption is currently hindered by cyber insecurity, inadequate infrastructure, and low public awareness. The paper synthesizes existing literature and case studies to evaluate AV technologies, categorized into in-vehicle intelligence, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) connectivity. It examines specific UK initiatives, such as the £100 million Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) Testbed and the MuCCA collision avoidance project, to assess current progress. The analysis covers four primary domains: road safety, traffic congestion management, integrated journey planning, and urban freight. In road safety, the authors note that while AVs can reduce human-error-related crashes, systems like MuCCA require further refinement. Regarding traffic management, the review cites simulations showing that high penetration rates of connected AVs (CAVs) can stabilize traffic flow and reduce shockwaves, though low-level automation like adaptive cruise control may initially decrease capacity. The paper also evaluates infrastructure impacts, noting that AVs’ precise lateral control (with errors as low as 0.03–0.065 m) could allow for narrower lanes and the repurposing of central reservations, potentially increasing motorway capacity by up to 273% with cooperative systems. Key findings indicate that AVs can enhance sustainability through fuel efficiency, reduced emissions, and optimized routing via Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platforms. In urban freight, autonomous delivery robots and platooning trucks are emerging as viable solutions for last-mile logistics, supported by over £400 million in UK funding. However, the authors identify significant barriers, including the risk of increased vehicle kilometers traveled due to rebound effects, the complexity of mixed traffic environments, and the need for substantial investment in smart infrastructure. The review concludes that while AVs are crucial for future urban prosperity, their success depends on proactive policy development, robust legal frameworks, and the seamless integration of AVs with public transport and renewable energy systems to avoid reinforcing car dependency.

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