How might autonomous vehicles impact the city? The case of commuting to central Adelaide

Abstract

Autonomous Vehicles (AV) are likely to have profound effects on cities. Using a survey of regular commuters into the Adelaide CBD we investigate views on AV ownership, use, vehicle sharing and attachment to conventional vehicles. We then explore potential vehicle flow and land use change in the Adelaide CBD under two scenarios. Whilst the overall vehicle fleet reduces under both scenarios, total trips may increase and some of the predicted benefits of AVs may not eventuate until a lengthy transition period is complete. These findings have policy implications for how the transition to AVs is managed.