Although self-driving vehicles have the potential to drastically reduce accidents, travel time, and the environmental impacts of road travel, concerns remain that could delay widespread adoption. Of particular concern are data privacy and security risks.
Policy-makers and insurance companies will be faced with new, never-before-seen challenges as driverless vehicles become widespread. Removing the human from the driver seat requires new considerations for changes to current transportation-related policy and laws.
Extensive research into CAV technology and its impacts on various aspects of planning, engineering, and economics has been conducted. However, gaps remain that cannot be well understood until we reach a certain market penetration and use of CAVs on roadways.
Defining law enforcement practices for cases of liabilities, licensing and privacy are major concerns for the integration (fully) automated vehicles (AVs) on the road.
(Fully) Automated vehicles (AVs) are a disruptive, society-changing technology, not just for planning and placemaking, but for employment, social engagement, mobility and a range of physical, social, and economic factors. Transportation agencies, local and regional, network operators, private vendors, and stakeholders must all prepare to accommodate and benefit from these technologies that will fundamentally change the urban fabric and interaction patterns. Too many regulations could hinder the AV adoption and development while too few regulations on AV may not regulate well on the AV manufacturers and could lead to danger on roads.
