Connected and Automated Vehicle Policy Development
Research Team: Steven Shladover (lead), Ching-Yao Chan, Xiao-Yun Lu, Wei-Bin Zhang, Benjamin McKeever, and Thomas West
UC Campus(es): UC Berkeley
Problem Statement: Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs) are probably the most transformative technological advance to influence the future of road transportation in the U.S., but these technologies and their varying impacts remain poorly understood by policy makers and the general public. Connected Vehicles (CVs) communicate wirelessly with other vehicles (V2V) and with roadside infrastructure (I2V) which provides the benefit of a well-integrated system. Automated vehicles (AVs) take over some driving tasks from drivers and have the potential to produce large changes in transportation system performance. As the technical capabilities of these systems are still evolving, it is uncertain what levels of automation will become available when and how rapidly they will permeate the vehicle market.
Project Description: This research provides a framework for answering the following policy questions: (1) To what extent should the state invest in ensuring that the CAV industry remains centered here, given the proactive efforts of other states (notably Michigan, Texas, Florida, Virginia) to lure CAV firms there? (2) What can (or should) the state do to facilitate the development of the large-scale vehicle test facilities needed by local CAV system developers? (3) What investments should the state be making in the deployment of the public infrastructure needed to support the most beneficial use of CAV’s (I2V) technologies? (4) What should the state be doing to facilitate early implementation of CAV technologies in public transit and goods movement applications, where CAV’s improved operational cost-effectiveness is especially salient? (5) What can the state do to encourage new business models for CAV deployment based on innovative public-private relationships? What types of business models are most appropriate? (6) What changes will be needed to motor vehicle insurance regulations to provide appropriate incentives for adoption of safety enhancing CAV technologies? (7) How are the benefits and costs of CAV implementations (near-term and long-term, direct and indirect) best estimated for informing decisions on the investment of public resources? (8) What are the broader societal implications of CAVs in the long term, especially when higher levels of automation could replace drivers for some types of vehicles and trips?
Status: Completed
Budget: $45,000