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Automated Vehicles: Are Cities Ready to Adopt AVs as the Sustainable Transport Solution?

Author

Listed:
  • Md Arifuzzaman

    (Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, King Faisal University, Al-Hofuf P.O. Box 380, Saudi Arabia)

  • Shohel Amin

    (School of Engineering and Applied Science, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK)

Abstract

Cities are looking for an approach to affordable, integrated and sustainable transport systems across all transport modes and services. Automated vehicle (AV) technologies use emerging technologies to integrate multimodal transport systems and ensure sustainable mobility in a city. Vehicle automation has entered the public conscious with several auto companies leading recent developments in legislation and affordable cars. Governments support AVs through policies and legal frameworks, and it is the responsibility of AV dealers to comply with legal and policy provisions so that the benefits of this new and promising industry can be felt. Despite the growing interest in AVs as a potential solution for sustainable transportation, several research gaps remain in relation to technology and infrastructure readiness, policy and regulation, equity and accessibility concerns, public acceptance and behaviour, and integration with public transport. This paper discusses the challenges and dilemmas of adopting AVs within the existing urban transportation system and within existing design standards in the United Kingdom and explores the progress and opportunities related to policies of transportation that may stem from the emergence of AV technologies in the UK. The potential of AVs is still limited by cyber insecurity, incompetent infrastructure, social acceptance, and public awareness. However, AVs are crucial to a city’s efficiency and prosperity and will become essential components for the provision of more flexible, convenient, integrated and sustainable travel options.

Suggested Citation

  • Md Arifuzzaman & Shohel Amin, 2025. "Automated Vehicles: Are Cities Ready to Adopt AVs as the Sustainable Transport Solution?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-14, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:5:p:2236-:d:1605338
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Grotenhuis, Jan-Willem & Wiegmans, Bart W. & Rietveld, Piet, 2007. "The desired quality of integrated multimodal travel information in public transport: Customer needs for time and effort savings," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 27-38, January.
    2. Aftabuzzaman, Md & Mazloumi, Ehsan, 2011. "Achieving sustainable urban transport mobility in post peak oil era," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(5), pages 695-702, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Aleksandar Šobot & Sergej Gričar, 2025. "An Example of the Transition to Sustainable Mobility in the Austrian City of Graz," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-19, May.
    2. Iulia Ioana Mircea & Eugen Rosca & Ciprian Sorin Vlad & Larisa Ivascu, 2025. "Environmental and Behavioral Dimensions of Private Autonomous Vehicles in Sustainable Urban Mobility," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-27, July.

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