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A Review on Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Implications of Connected and Automated Vehicles

Author

Listed:
  • Morteza Taiebat
  • Austin L. Brown
  • Hannah R. Safford
  • Shen Qu
  • Ming Xu

Abstract

Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) are poised to reshape transportation and mobility by replacing humans as the driver and service provider. While the primary stated motivation for vehicle automation is to improve safety and convenience of road mobility, this transformation also provides a valuable opportunity to improve vehicle energy efficiency and reduce emissions in the transportation sector. Progress in vehicle efficiency and functionality, however, does not necessarily translate to net positive environmental outcomes. Here we examine the interactions between CAV technology and the environment at four levels of increasing complexity: vehicle, transportation system, urban system, and society. We find that environmental impacts come from CAV-facilitated transformations at all four levels, rather than from CAV technology directly. We anticipate net positive environmental impacts at the vehicle, transportation system, and urban system levels, but expect greater vehicle utilization and shifts in travel patterns at the society level to offset some of these benefits. Focusing on the vehicle-level improvements associated with CAV technology is likely to yield excessively optimistic estimates of environmental benefits. Future research and policy efforts should strive to clarify the extent and possible synergetic effects from a systems level in order to envisage and address concerns regarding the short- and long-term sustainable adoption of CAV technology.

Suggested Citation

  • Morteza Taiebat & Austin L. Brown & Hannah R. Safford & Shen Qu & Ming Xu, 2019. "A Review on Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Implications of Connected and Automated Vehicles," Papers 1901.10581, arXiv.org, revised Feb 2019.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:1901.10581
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Lisa Dang & Widar von Arx & Jonas Frölicher, 2021. "The Impact of On-Demand Collective Transport Services on Sustainability: A Comparison of Various Service Options in a Rural and an Urban Area of Switzerland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-27, March.
    2. Suprava Chakraborty & Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar & Arunkumar Jayakumar & Santanu Kumar Dash & Devaraj Elangovan, 2021. "Selected Aspects of Sustainable Mobility Reveals Implementable Approaches and Conceivable Actions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-31, November.
    3. Taiebat, Morteza & Stolper, Samuel & Xu, Ming, 2019. "Forecasting the Impact of Connected and Automated Vehicles on Energy Use: A Microeconomic Study of Induced Travel and Energy Rebound," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 247(C), pages 297-308.
    4. Yuanyuan Wu & Feng Zhu, 2021. "Junction Management for Connected and Automated Vehicles: Intersection or Roundabout?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-18, August.
    5. Eric Williams & Vivekananda Das & Andrew Fisher, 2020. "Assessing the Sustainability Implications of Autonomous Vehicles: Recommendations for Research Community Practice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-13, March.
    6. Taiebat, Morteza & Stolper, Samuel & Xu, Ming, 2019. "Forecasting the Impact of Connected and Automated Vehicles on Energy Use: A Microeconomic Study of Induced Travel and Energy Rebound," LawArXiv dk6qv, Center for Open Science.
    7. Mariano Gallo & Mario Marinelli, 2020. "Sustainable Mobility: A Review of Possible Actions and Policies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-39, September.
    8. Morteza Taiebat & Samuel Stolper & Ming Xu, 2019. "Forecasting the Impact of Connected and Automated Vehicles on Energy Use A Microeconomic Study of Induced Travel and Energy Rebound," Papers 1902.00382, arXiv.org, revised May 2019.

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