Transportation Experts Think Electric, Automated, and Shared Rides Will Soon Reach Wide Adoption

by Jon LeSage 

Policymakers and executives from automakers and tech companies expect electrified, autonomous, shared mobility will see solid footing by 2040.

The Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California-Davis conducted a study with 40 experts on the subject from government and nonprofit organizations, and representatives from the auto and technology industries.

About 70 percent of the survey respondents believe that by 2040, fully autonomous vehicles will make up more than 20 percent of vehicles sold in the U.S.

Shared rides will make up more than 5 percent of all U.S. passenger miles by 2030, 80 percent of respondents said; and 78 percent think that will go up to more than 20 percent of miles covered by 2040.

The majority of the vehicles used commercially by ride- and car-sharing firms will be zero emission vehicles by 2050, according to 70 percent of those surveyed. ZEVs will include all-electric, plug-in hybrid, and fuel-cell vehicles.

The survey results were released with ITS-Davis’ new policy initiative, “Three Revolutions: Sharing, Electrification and Automation.” That report features a set of policy briefs written by transportation policy experts.

“This survey shows us that without thoughtful collaboration and community-facing policies, these changes would lead to increased inequities, vehicle travel and greenhouse gas emissions. We need to be creative to steer these innovations to the public interest,” said ITS-Davis Director Dan Sperling.

...Read the full story at Hybridcars.com