DAVIS, California: Self-driving cars have been a dream for years. Bold predictions aside, fully automated vehicles (AVs), still haven’t made it to showrooms.
The technology is poised to take a leap forward in 2022.
Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Honda have introduced so-called Level 3 Autopilots (AVs) to the market. These AVs will allow drivers to take control of the vehicle under certain conditions. Virtually every major automaker is currently testing self-driving systems.
Automated cars hold great promise. Automated vehicles have great potential. They can handle most or all driving tasks, and are safer than human drivers. They also operate more efficiently, and could open up new opportunities to seniors, people with disabilities, and other people who can’t drive.
Although safety is the primary concern, the potential environmental effects of automated vehicles have been neglected.
Our research teams discovered two innovative ways to assess the real-life effects that automated vehicles can have on the environment in two recent studies.
We analysed the driving habits of drivers using partially-automated vehicles and simulated the impact of future driverless cars. We found that both types of automated vehicles will encourage more driving.
This will increase transportation-related pollution and traffic congestion, unless regulators take steps to make car travel less appealing.
CARBON EMISSIONS ARE HIGHER FOR DRIVING WITH MORE POWER
Research has shown that AVs could make people drive more than they do now, increasing congestion, energy consumption, and pollution.
