Editorial: Advances in Planning for Emerging Transportation Technologies: Towards Automation, Connectivity, and Electric Propulsion

Labi, Samuel; Anastasopoulos, Panagiotis; Miralinaghi, Mohammad; Ong, Ghim Ping; Zhu, Feng · 2021 · ROSA P / Center for Connected and Automated Transportation. Purdue University

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

Get this paper ↗ (full text — opens at the source; we link to it, we don't host it)

Summary

This editorial introduces a special issue of *Frontiers in Built Environment* focused on planning for emerging transportation technologies, specifically automation, connectivity, and electric propulsion. The authors argue that advancements in information and computer technology are creating unprecedented opportunities to enhance system autonomy and connectivity, laying the groundwork for a new generation of transportation vehicles and infrastructure. This transformation is driven by social needs for emissions reduction, which motivates the adoption of electric propulsion, and technical goals to improve safety, efficiency, and economic productivity. The editorial synthesizes current thinking and future directions regarding the scientific, engineering, and economic challenges associated with connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) and related innovations. The special issue aggregates research addressing various outcomes of next-generation transportation, including safety, social equity, mobility, reliability, and sustainability. Specific contributions include modeling traveler choices to determine optimal travel credit pricing under varying levels of market penetration (Seilabi et al.) and exploring public perceptions of advanced urban air mobility, such as flying cars (Ahmed et al.). The papers emphasize that these technologies function synergistically rather than in isolation; for instance, Ha et al. examine how combining automation and connectivity enhances system efficiency and safety. Other studies focus on integrating these technologies into smart city frameworks, utilizing vehicle automation to manage travel credits, and leveraging social media data to improve travel-time reliability assessments (Rahman et al.; Büchel and Corman). Key findings highlight the potential for these technologies to address persistent urban issues like traffic congestion and infrastructure disrepair. The research provides guidance for future investments and policy development, suggesting that synergies between connectivity and autonomy can justify infrastructure investments. Ahmed et al. offer insights for developing policies and standards for urban air mobility, while Seilabi et al. demonstrate methods for maintaining equitable travel costs during the transition to next-generation vehicles. Enhanced modeling techniques and real-time data sharing are identified as critical tools for transportation agencies to improve operational control, reporting, and infrastructure planning. The significance of this collection lies in its comprehensive overview of the research activity areas necessary for realizing emerging transportation systems. These areas include travel demand assessments, policy and planning impact assessments, road infrastructure management for CAV adoption, alternative modes, and real-time information sharing. The editorial concludes that these advancements are integral to the broader concept of smart cities, intertwining vehicle automation with citizen, infrastructure, and service connectivity. By addressing both technical and social dimensions, the special issue provides a foundation for understanding how to effectively plan for and implement these transformative technologies.

Key finding

The editorial serves as an introduction to a collection of research articles rather than presenting original empirical results, summarizing the collective focus on automation, connectivity, and electric propulsion in transportation planning.

Methodology

review

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• acceptance adoption

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Synthesis & Review: research agenda