Fully Autonomous Vehicles’ Impact on

Improving Transportation
Google’s self-driving prototypes rely on their sensors and
software to drive themselves.
Example 1 : Google's Self Driving car
Positive Impacts of
Autonomous Vehicles in
Society
1. Impact on Traffic-Jams
Phantom traffic jams, or stop-and-go traffic, are inefficient and dangerous. Fortunately, self-driving vehicles can reduce and
improve traffic jams by guiding human-controlled vehicles on the road. For traffic to flow smoothly, drivers must maintain a
consistent speed and distance from other vehicles. However, humans tend to speed up to meet the car in front of them, causing
phantom traffic jams.The Research team believes that automated and human-controlled vehicles could work collectively to
smooth traffic flow.

In a recent study, when an automated car led human-controlled vehicles, stop-and-go traffic was eliminated and gas usage was
reduced by 42%. Research team has also simulated traffic using models on loops, ramps and figure-eight courses, with
automated cars improving flow among human-controlled vehicles.

How close are we to seeing the positive impact of self-driving technology on our roadways? Most companies have installed
technology in new cars that could allow for the rapid implementation of AI, allowing automated cars to communicate with other AI
vehicles and even the roadway. However, a main challenge is in establishing communication between vehicles, and coordinating
efforts among legislators, researchers, and companies.
2. Impact on No. of Accidents
According to the World Health Organization ([WHO18]), 1.35 million people died worldwide in 2016 because of traffic
incidents. In fact, more people die as a result of road traffic injuries today than for instance AIDS. The importance of
this is underpinned by the United Nations (UN), who have incorporated ambitious goals to reduce road traffic deaths
and injuries within the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

There are many reasons for safety incidents, studies claim, however, that most of the underlying reasons are related
to human errors. For instance, distraction during driving is a key factor in vehicle crashes and around 30% of all road
deaths in the US are alcohol related ([CDC20]). Some of these human behavior related incidents have the potential
to be reduced significantly by autonomous technologies. Making vehicles autonomous, could result in a reduction in
road safety incidents, although studies are not always aligned in terms of how much. Some studies estimate that AVs
can reduce the chance of a vehicle crash with 33% ([IIHS20]) while others indicate a 90% ([McKin15]) reduction.
Despite this lack of consensus, only a 1% reduction in road safety incidents would – in the US alone – result in a cost
reduction of more than $8 billion annually, which implies significant value to be gained from AVs for several
stakeholders including the users of the vehicles.
3. Impact on Congestion

The more vehicles become autonomous, the more they are able to interact.
At a certain level, AVs may be capable of communicating with each other
(called vehicle to vehicle technology (V2V)), enabling smoother traffic flow
and a higher capacity (because vehicles can drive closer to each other),
which will result in less congestion. This will depend on the level of
penetration of AVs: the more AVs we will have on the road that are able to
communicate, the greater this effect will be. Eventually, so called platoons
can be formed, which will enable much closer driving.
4. Impact of Economic Use of Travel
Time
The impact of AVs on travel time is not only affected by congestion, but also by the freedom of what people
can do during travelling. To illustrate this: on average, people in the Netherlands only get stuck in traffic 1
minute per day ([KIM20]), while the minutes people spend on their commute every day is a lot more: 49
minutes ([CBS17]). It is therefore less relevant to calculate the actual congestion which will be solved by AVs;
instead the improved (economic) usage of travel time should be calculated. A recent study stated that
automated vehicles could free up as much as 50 minutes each day per passenger in the US that had
previously been dedicated to driving ([NHTS20]). Even if we use only 75% of it into calculations, we can say
we get about 17 hours of extra time per 4 weeks to do whatever we want instead of driving.

As fully autonomous vehicles will enable users to use their time productively during travel, this can save
society significant costs.
Conclusions from Impacts on Society

● Reduction in Traffic-Jams
● Reduction in Traffic Accidents
● Reduction in Congestion on Roads
● Extra Time to work/relax during travel
● Reduction in Greenhouse gas Emission(by improving
the way vehicles brake and accelerate accordion to
department of energy thus improving the energy use of
vehicles)
Sensor1: Ultrasonic Sensor

Application
Sensor2: RADAR Sensor

Application
Sensor3: LIDAR Sensor &
its Application
GPS keeps the car on its intended route
with an accuracy of 30 cm.With GPS
covering the macro location of the car,
smaller on-deck cameras can recognize
details like red light,stop signs,etc..
Wheel speed sensors provide input to a
number of different automotive systems
including the anti-lock brake system and
electronic stability control.
Sensor Integration
 V2X Communication
Cars will talk to other cars, exchanging
data and alerting drivers to potential
collisions. They'll talk to sensors on signs
on stop lights, bus stops, to get traffic
updates and rerouting alerts.

V2X Communication Types

As vehicles fall out of the signal range
and drop out of the network, other
vehicles can join in, connecting
vehicles to one another so that a
mobile Internet is created.
Challenges
● Unpredictable Humans:Autonomous Vehicles have to deal with speed,pass even when
there is a double yellow line and drive the wrong way in a one-way street.

● Bad Weather:Snow,rain, fog and other types of weather make driving difficult for humans, and
it’s no different for driverless cars, which stay in their lanes by using cameras that track the lines
on the pavement.But they can’t do that if the road has a coating of snow.

● Digital Mapping:Very few roads have been mapped to this degree. Moreover, maps can
become out of date as road conditions change.There may be construction or detours. An
intersection with a four-way stop might get a traffic light or become a roundabout.