Automated Transport Systems for Sustainable Urban Mobility: a Study of Potentials, Limitations, and Deployment Barriers

This book presents a study of the potentials of automated urban transport systems (AUTS) to provide more sustainable mobility in urban areas. AUTS consist of a fleet of vehicles with fully automated driving capabilities for passenger transport on a rail or road network with on-demand and door-to-door capability. Various related systems have proven to be feasible and to provide some of the benefits anticipated. Users and stakeholders were able to envisage the potential of AUTS to improve urban mobility, but some concerns remained over use of the systems in mixed traffic. After having used the system, public acceptance increased. AUTS vehicle performance parameters including acceleration, deceleration, and jerk are below benchmark values for comparable systems in terms of comfort and safety levels for passengers. The study has shown that there is large potential for AUTS, but a number of implementation barriers so far have hindered a more wide-spread and large-scale implementation.