A study by the TU Wien provides new insights into risks and design options

Autonomous and networked vehicles are a beacon of hope for politics and economy: they are supposed to lead to an increase in traffic safety andefficiencyand thus contribute to a change in the way traffic is organised. A study by researchers from the Faculty of Architecture and Spatial Planning (with participation of the research units future.lab Research Center, opens an external URL in a new window, local spatial planning, opens an external URL in a new window, sociology, opens an external URL in a new window and Transport System Planning, opens an external URL in a new window), sponsored by the Daimler and Benz Foundation, shows that to some extent these hopes must be put into perspective.

The most comprehensive study to date on the effects of automated and networked vehicles on cities, mobility and society has just been published - the book "AVENUE21. Automated and networked transport: changes of the urban Europe" has just been published by Springer Vieweg as an open access publication.

Contrary to many other studies, roads are not only considered as traffic areas, but also as places of public life. This perspective allows a reassessment of central effects - especially concerning the near future.

More than 300 international experts were interviewed for the study. Scenarios were developed within focus groups to illustrate the possibilities of local design. Finally, fields of action are developed which should be addressed from the perspective of urban and mobility planning in the next 5-10 years.

Here is the open access link to the publication, opens an external URL in a new window

[Last updated: 2020-04-15]