SoylentNews

Why Autonomous Vehicles Won't Reduce Our Dependence on Cars in Cities

posted by martyb on Thursday December 06 2018, @11:55AM   
from the move-out-to-the-country dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

Phys.org:

The technology of autonomous vehicles (AVs) is progressing rapidly, but have we really thought through how they'll work in reality?

In its report on AVs in Australia, Austroads (the association of Australasian road transport and traffic agencies) paints both positive and negative scenarios for the future.

The positive scenario suggests that AVs could reduce car ownership and use thanks to a fleet of shared and connected AVs. These AVs would roam the city, filling in gaps in the timetables and fixed routes of a superior and cheaper public transport network.

But for this scenario to work, AVs must be shared and not privately owned, and they must complement a robust public transport system that accommodates most trips. These mechanisms are either weak or nonexistent in most Australian cities, suggesting it's unlikely the arrival of AVs will reduce our dependence on private cars.

Shared autonomous cars should be as much fun as riding in the back of a New York cab.

---

Original Submission

• Re:look to the politics Re:look to the politics (Score: 2) by Nuke on Thursday December 06 2018, @08:04PM (1 child)

  by Nuke (3162) on Thursday December 06 2018, @08:04PM (#770821)

  I don't understand why anyone would think the number of automobiles would decrease if the pilots were removed.

  Neither do I. I am just dumbstruck by the idea that AVs would reduce the amount of traffic WHY? Why would anyone think so? Many people now in buses and trains would switch to these things.

  Even sharing of AVs (again WHY? - car sharing and AVs are orthogonal concepts) does not reduce traffic. It might reduce the number of vehicles in parking lots or on house driveways, but it would not reduce the number making journeys at any one time. In fact anything that might make cars cheaper (or greener) to run, as car sharing might in theory, run will increase traffic. I think of Jevons Paradox [wikipedia.org].

  Parent

  Starting Score:	1		point
  Karma-Bonus Modifier		+1
  Total Score:		2

• Re:look to the politics (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @09:21PM

  by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 06 2018, @09:21PM (#770860)

  It might decrease the traffic, as it is OK to share the car with one more passenger and deliver him not too far from the intended route. This alone will reduce the traffic by 40-50%. Car owners rarely do that, but in a 3rd party cab it's not a big deal.

  Parent