Increasing Mobility and Access with Autonomous Vehicles looks at how policymakers and AV companies can help shared AVs increase access to vital services and opportunities for communities who currently lack adequate transportation options.
More than 25 million adults in this country have travel-limiting disabilities, a number that will grow as the U.S. population ages. Additionally, an estimated 197 million Americans live in urban communities with a lack of accessible and affordable transportation options.
Shared Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) could help close transportation gaps for those who need access to clean, affordable, and reliable transportation.
But current trends in AV piloting and deployment lead automated technology innovation toward communities already flush with transportation options, threatening to exacerbate the existing disparities in our transportation systems.
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Key Takeaways:
- 197 million American do not have adequate transportation options to access social, education, or employment opportunities.
- Shared AVs can connect underserved communities through goods and people movement by providing rightsized mobility service where other transportation options are not feasible.
- Policymakers should prioritize government engagement, create incentives to drive outcomes and increase access, and promote inclusive design to leverage shared AVs to improve access for those with the greatest need.
