COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

 

Communication technology

Pierluigi Coppola, Fulvio Silvestri, in Autonomous Vehicles and Future Mobility, 20195 Conclusions and perspectivesThe application of telecommunication technologies in vehicles, the widespread digitalization of the infrastructure, and the rapid diffusion of smartphones are key enablers for the advent of new ways of offering transport services and meeting new mobility needs that have been growing rapidly throughout the world.Future mobility scenarios concern both transport demand and supply; they require envisioning, on the one hand, the evolution of technological development of vehicles (electrification, connectivity, and automation), and on the other hand, the behavioral changes of travelers.It is likely that major changes will be induced by the introduction of in-vehicle connectivity and automation functions. These features will allow new modes of transport and mobility solutions customized to individuals’ needs that are multimodal, seamless (door-to-door), and easy to access on demand (via smartphones). Therefore we foresee the entry of new operators into the mobility market who will focus their business on automated mobility service on-demand (AMoD). However, it is equally predictable that current operators will gradually convert their fleets, exploring ways to integrate Innovative Mobility Services (IMS) with traditional services. In fact, the introduction of new mobility services in cities, if correctly planned and integrated in PT networks, could lead to great benefits in terms of environmental, social, and economic sustainability, thanks to a more rational and conscientious use of resources. For example, self-driving vehicles could primarily be used as feeders and shuttles for mass rapid transit systems (Yap et al., 2016) or, furthermore, be used as micro-transit, in order to extend PT lines in those areas where they do not operate now due to low demand density.From a system perspective, the co-modality and the interoperability of the various transport services is desirable and likely to happen. However, there is room for a further more innovative paradigm shift in the way transport services will be offered. This is the case, for instance, of the MaaS concept, which is based on the integration of mobility services currently offered by a vast number of different operators into a single service “aggregator.”On the demand side, a behavioral change is also expected. The high connectivity features could be used to enhance user experience by means of Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS). However, the major breakthrough may come from a change in the consumer’s approach to transport modes from an ownership-based model to a consumption-based one. In the past, drivers have been the owners of their vehicles, sustaining investment costs amortized throughout the life cycle of vehicles. In the future travelers may be attracted to adopt mobility solutions for their trips that do not require vehicle ownership but are based on their temporary use, possibly shared with the rest of the community (i.e., shared mobility).In the long term, a widespread adoption of IMS and CAVs will make investing in ITS more important than investing in road capacity expansion, and CAVs themselves will promote shared urban mobility forms (CAR, 2017). Fig. 5 gives a synoptic description of a possible timing for when technologies for connectivity and automation will reach maturity. Although from 2019 conditional automation functions will be available in most of the new vehicles sold, it will be necessary to wait few more years before SAE Level 4 (time t1 in Fig. 5) and SAE Level 5 cars (time t3 in Fig. 5) could be circulating on public roads. When high automation is standardized, V2V, V2I, and V2P technologies should also be available (time t2). V2N, however, could be reached in the same period in which 5G connectivity will complete its development cycle (time t4).Fig. 5. . Timeline of the maturity of vehicle technologies and mobility services.Uncertainty about the future introduction of CAVs depends on supply-side, demand-side, and governance factors (Nikitas et al., 2017; Smith et al., 2018). Supply-side factors are related to technological development and its cost, including the performances of vehicles in promiscuous traffic situations, ability of vehicle sensors to respond to unexpected situations, technological level of connectivity required, maintenance needs, and obsolescence of control system. Demand-side factors concern user acceptance (Payre et al., 2014), attitudes, and behavioral factors (Trommer et al., 2016; Piao et al., 2016), such as desire to drive or to cede control, interactions with vulnerable road users, safety, security, and privacy. Deployment will depend also on users’ willingness to pay for automated transports (Litman, 2018). Governance factors are related to national regulation, such as permission to validate on public roads, license to operate in mixed traffic, data protection regulation, and cybersecurity standards. In a few years the commercial release could take place, but only in those countries that have in the meantime legislated to allow circulation of CAVs in mixed or reserved lanes. Additional time is necessary before they reach large market penetration.