Automated vehicles and sustainability when considering rebound effects.

While automated vehicles are expected to lower energy consumption, improve traffic flow and enhance road safety, their deployment may increase traffic volume, leading to a rebound effect. Addressing this issue, we develop a framework to assess the environmental, social and time costs of private and...

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Main Authors: Peter Letmathe, Maren Paegert
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329193
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author Peter Letmathe
Maren Paegert
author_facet Peter Letmathe
Maren Paegert
author_sort Peter Letmathe
collection DOAJ
description While automated vehicles are expected to lower energy consumption, improve traffic flow and enhance road safety, their deployment may increase traffic volume, leading to a rebound effect. Addressing this issue, we develop a framework to assess the environmental, social and time costs of private and of shared automated vehicle usage in urban and rural areas in Germany. When comparing the status quo and automated vehicle usage, we show that 34-47% of additional traffic volume could emerge without deteriorating current conditions, depending on the area and usage concept. Shared automated vehicles in rural areas constitute the most distinct case, as they are the most beneficial for the environment and society but are the least attractive with respect to the time costs of passengers. Policymakers and system providers should strive to mitigate this dichotomy.
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spelling doaj-art-c6365a3c465b4e3d99d35ffe48d1f7e32025-08-20T03:44:35ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01208e032919310.1371/journal.pone.0329193Automated vehicles and sustainability when considering rebound effects.Peter LetmatheMaren PaegertWhile automated vehicles are expected to lower energy consumption, improve traffic flow and enhance road safety, their deployment may increase traffic volume, leading to a rebound effect. Addressing this issue, we develop a framework to assess the environmental, social and time costs of private and of shared automated vehicle usage in urban and rural areas in Germany. When comparing the status quo and automated vehicle usage, we show that 34-47% of additional traffic volume could emerge without deteriorating current conditions, depending on the area and usage concept. Shared automated vehicles in rural areas constitute the most distinct case, as they are the most beneficial for the environment and society but are the least attractive with respect to the time costs of passengers. Policymakers and system providers should strive to mitigate this dichotomy.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329193
spellingShingle Peter Letmathe
Maren Paegert
Automated vehicles and sustainability when considering rebound effects.
PLoS ONE
title Automated vehicles and sustainability when considering rebound effects.
title_full Automated vehicles and sustainability when considering rebound effects.
title_fullStr Automated vehicles and sustainability when considering rebound effects.
title_full_unstemmed Automated vehicles and sustainability when considering rebound effects.
title_short Automated vehicles and sustainability when considering rebound effects.
title_sort automated vehicles and sustainability when considering rebound effects
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329193
work_keys_str_mv AT peterletmathe automatedvehiclesandsustainabilitywhenconsideringreboundeffects
AT marenpaegert automatedvehiclesandsustainabilitywhenconsideringreboundeffects