Book Description
Automated Vehicles (AVs) have the potential to improve transportation safety, increase system capacity, enhance mobility, and solve the first- and last- mile problem associated with public transportation. This project has three inter-related objectives: (1) to evaluate the technical feasibility, safety and reliability of a low-speed, self-driving shuttle known as Olli; (2) to research the public policy changes needed to allow for AVs to be tested and driven on New York State public roads; and (3) to conduct an evaluation of the costs and benefits of using AV technology on a realistic case study involving the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) in downtown Buffalo. The study tested Olli on the University at Buffalo (UB) Proving Grounds for Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs), using a set of twelve testing scenarios. Riders of Olli were surveyed and the results from these surveys, along with the results from other surveys conducted in the Buffalo-Niagara region, were analyzed to determine the factors that contribute to public acceptance of AV technologies in an effort to address them. The study also developed a new set of four principles,which we called the "Buffalo Principles," to facilitate taking the legal and regulatory action required for the sustainable testing and deployment of AVs. Finally, the project conducted a simulation study and a business case analysis of a scenario involving developing a small fleet of the self-driving shuttle Olli to serve the first- and last- mile segments of trips undertaken by a subset of BNMC employees.
