Governing Autonomous Vehicles

The advent of autonomous-vehicle (AV) technology promises to upend urban mobility and transportation policy. Yet this technology, as well as its possible social and environmental consequences, are far from certain. At JTL, we examine how people, policy, and cityscapes will interact with this new technology by examining the formation processes of people’s preferences for autonomous vehicles; evaluating how to embed shared AV services within the public transportation system, through the integration of information, price, operations, and institutions; envisioning how municipal governments can devise AV policies to produce more equitable, sustainable, efficient, and livable cities; examining potential secondary impacts of AVs on urban systems, including land use and the environment as well as policies to mitigate negative impacts; and acknowledging the uncertainties inherent in planning for autonomous vehicles and applying research methodologies appropriate to such uncertainty.

AV technology could revolutionize urban mobility—making travel cheaper and more accessible, and spurring the development of more vibrant, safer communities. These outcomes, however, are hardly guaranteed. Rather, they will require thoughtful regulatory policy to stimulate development in such a positive direction. We provide policymakers in Canada, the United States, Singapore, and other partner organizations with the tools they need to design and implement just such effective, considered legislation.

Approach

Based in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) we approach autonomous vehicle development through an urbanist perspective and have five guiding principles:

• AV development should accommodate the different needs, preferences, and abilities of a community’s diverse population. 
• AV service should be available and accessible to all citizens, regardless of their income; where they live, work, and play; or the technology they own.
• AVs should contribute to a reduction in transportation-sector greenhouse gas emissions. 
• AV rollout should help eliminate fatal and serious traffic collisions. 
• AV should be to make walking, biking, public transit, and sharing a ride more attractive. 

Our Policy Foundation

We have identified nine general policies to address the challenges of modern transportation systems, which are enhanced by the capabilities of autonomous technology. While these broad ideas must be refined for each local context, they form the backbone of our work.  

I. Altering the Cityscape

Limit parking provision: As the AV fleet grows, cities can reduce on-street and garage parking, decouple development projects from parking provision, and incentivize redevelopment of existing lots—to encourage commuters to choose alternative modes of travel.

Rethink the use of streetspace: By reducing road space for automobiles proportional to the decline in registered vehicles, cities can open up land for larger sidewalks and plazas, as well as dedicated transit and bike lanes—to make it more attractive to choose active and public transit. 

II. Ensuring Adequate Service

Centralize data collection and distribution: To strengthen and develop a holistic mobility system, cities can use existing technology (such as online trip planning applications and fare collection systems) to make multi-modal travel easier. 

Require minimum levels of service provision: By setting minimum levels of service provision, cities can ensure all citizens can get around within a reasonable amount of time, regardless of where they are going or coming from. 

Integrate for-hire autonomous vehicles and public transit: Enabling travellers to seamlessly transfer between public transit and for-hire services depending on travel time of day and location makes it more appealing to choose more efficient forms of transport. 

III. Harnessing Pricing

Enact distance-based road pricing: Charging users based on when and where they travel would encourage higher vehicle occupancy, particularly at peak times, and would discourage the circulation of empty autonomous vehicles on public streets.

Offer income-based subsidies: Travel is essential to citizen wellbeing, and cities can financially support those of lesser means to meet their travel needs. This assistance should not be a subsidy for AV services specifically, but for using a multi-modal network when getting around. 

IV. Limiting Externalities

Require zero-emission vehicles: Vehicles are to a great degree responsible for localized poor air quality, so limiting pollutants at the tail pipe cuts the environmental and health burdens imposed by a fossil fuel-based transportation system.

Limit empty-vehicle travel: Autonomous vehicles will have the ability to move by themselves, without passengers. In congested areas, this could add to traffic and slow travel times for people inside other vehicles. Cities can mitigate this impact by limiting empty-vehicle travel.   

AV Policy 

AV Analytics