MSc Dissertation: The Future of Mobility Part One

Abstract

There have never been more active vehicles than there are on our roads today. With this increased access to individual mobility comes tremendous benefits, yet also negative side effects which could prove to be unsustainable. However, advantages offered by Highly Autonomous Vehicles (HAVs) could mitigate these problems while increasing safety for road users and quality of transportation experiences for all. Realising this potential and forecasting for this eventuality, automakers, technology companies, policymakers, and regulators continue to refine their long-term strategies. As R&D efforts continue to drive progress in HAV technology, so too does the viability of autonomous transportation fitting into the daily mobility needs of the average consumer.
This research examines current progress in vehicular technology in terms of incremental increases in the capabilities of driver assistance systems in modern vehicles. Consideration is given to offer designations delineating the shifting responsibilities between human drivers and autonomous systems within the vehicle itself. A literature review was conducted to determine the challenges which face mass adoption of HAV technology, and these were organised into four groups or “key barriers” that will need to be overcome between the first semi-autonomous deployments and widespread adoption of HAVs. Interviews with experts and observation of simulated and closed-course vehicle tests were used to inform content for a survey, was designed and conducted to explore and investigate the dimensions of human trust and societal use of HAV, driver assistance systems, conventionally driven vehicles, and other forms of transportation.



A note about this version:
This version of The Future of Mobility: Trust & Preferences in Highly Autonomous Vehicles
by Sean Duggan (submitted to Goldsmiths University London in partial fulfillment for MSc Management of Innovation) has been slightly shortened and edited to produce a more condensed representation of the original document. Certain appendices and the reference list have been omitted but can be found in the primary document upon request, although the reader will notice that the original reference annotations remain within the text of this document. The references included 26 news articles, 5 books, 10 research papers, 17 journal articles, 6 government policy documents, 6 lectures/discussion panels, and 3 interviews with subject matter experts conducted by the author.  

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