Transformative Growth Opportunity #2
Technological advances have been rapid and are converging in a perfect storm to accelerate the real-world deployment of driverless vehicles in cities. About 100,000 km of autonomous driving have been logged across the world; some cities lead the initiative while some are yet to enter the space. Nonetheless, they will be a reality sooner than expected, as some cities, such as Los Angeles, London, and Paris have agreed to develop a clear framework in terms of insurance, damage clauses, deployment strategies, and infrastructure requirements to facilitate commercial launch of automated vehicles as early as 2021.
Early adopter cities will be the ones that align their driving regulations to favor driverless technology, proactively encourage initial testing on public roads, as well as support the building of appropriate infrastructure, including connected roads, vehicles and traffic systems. The Smart Autonomous Readiness Index evaluates each city according to the three pillars that are integral to a city’s capacity to adopt and integrate autonomous vehicles: first, initiatives and outlook in terms of industry participants, pilot programs, policy and legislation, and testing zones; second, technology and infrastructure; and, third, shared mobility performance.