First steps towards a holistic impact assessment methodology for connected and automated vehicles.

ABSTRACT

Connected and automated vehicles have become more common in recent years, increasing the need to assess their societal level impacts. In this paper a methodology is presented to explore and define relevant impact areas as a starting point for quantitative impact assessment. The many interrelations between impact areas increases the complexity of obtaining a complete overview. Therefore, a structured approach is used, which shows many similarities with the modelling of causal-loop-diagrams. Feedback loops between impact areas are taken into account at an early stage and methods of literature research, project team feedback, interrelation assessment and grouping are used to produce a holistic overview of impacts. The methodology was developed and applied in the European H2020 project LEVITATE. The impact taxonomy and interrelations between impact areas resulting from this project are presented and further steps needed to perform a quantitative evaluation of the impacts are discussed.