The standout challenge within the field of AV development that I see ahead of us is not technology related. It is in fact the question of how the car industry should handle the transition in business models that will come with the introduction of autonomous mobility.
There is no single reason for an individual to buy an autonomous vehicle. What we will see instead is a demand for smart and sustainable mobility in cities – from citizens as well as from city representatives, who are fighting congestion and pollution problems with vehicle restrictions and road closures in urban centers today.
In future, what we can expect is for AVs to be an important complement to public transportation and that this will be an integrated part in a city’s overall traffic planning. New players will offer mobility sold by the kilometer. Completely new mobility needs and possibilities will arise. NEVS has invested a lot into the analysis of user needs in a future AV-adapted city. This may not be as far away as the car industry predicts.