Implications of vehicle automation for accessibility and social inclusion of people on low income, people with physical and sensory disabilities, and older people

Vehicle automation and vehicle sharing are frequently presented as key factors towards a more inclusive transport system. 

In our new book chapter, we argue that we should not take this statement for granted. We suggest that the requirements for digital access and online payment for those services, vehicle custom-design, operating complexities, and uncertainties, insecurity and distrust in adoption of new vehicle technologies could compromise possible accessibility gains and thus negatively influence social inclusion levels of people on low income, people with physical and sensory disabilities, and older people. 

Book chapter available here

Many thanks for the nice collaboration to my co-author Bert Van Wee and the editors of the book volume “Demand for Emerging Transportation Systems. Modeling Adoption, Satisfaction and Mobility Patterns” Constantinos Antoniou, Dimitrios Efthymiou, Emmanouil Chaniotakis 

Abstract 
We analyze the implications of vehicle automation for the accessibility of vulnerable social groups (i.e., people on low income, people with physical and sensory disabilities, older people) and consequently for their transport-related social exclusion. First, we show that the accessibility component influenced by automated vehicles, the vehicle automation level, and the mobility service model (i.e., private or shared vehicles) would likely determine the magnitude and direction of social inclusion implications for these social groups. Positive implications for accessibility and thus social inclusion are expected to increase with the level of vehicle automation and vehicle sharing. Yet, the requirements for digital access and online payment for those services, vehicle custom-design, operating complexities, and uncertainties, insecurity and distrust in adoption new vehicle technologies could compromise possible accessibility gains and thus negatively influence social inclusion levels. 

Keywords: Accessibility; Automated vehicles; Social inclusion; Vulnerable social groups

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