Feasibility study on commercial deployment of automated public transport vehicles in New Zealand
Document Type
Report
Publication Date
2024
Subject Area
literature review - literature review, mode - bus, mode - other, mode - tram/light rail, place - australasia, planning - methods, technology - intelligent transport systems
Keywords
autonomous, automated, public transport, shuttles, buses, trams, future technology, commercial, evaluation, framework
Abstract
This research was carried out for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) with the aim of improving our understanding of the ability of automated forms of public transport to complement or substitute public transport on New Zealand’s roads. As technology advances, automated vehicles are emerging in the land-transport system in parts of the world. There is currently limited knowledge and understanding about the deployment of automated vehicles, particularly automated public transport vehicles. Automated vehicles can impact the way people and goods are moved, which in turn can impact on physical infrastructure as well as digital infrastructure requirements. This research has found that whilst technological leaps and progress have been made, automated public transport technology is progressing and a pilot / trial approach would still be required to understand the applicability of automated public transport in the New Zealand context. The review of trials between 2013 and 2020 suggested that Level 4 (or higher) automated systems are not ready to replace conventional public transport at present, but there is potential for automated public transport vehicles to complement existing public transport services. This includes a potential role in the first / last mile, specific uses within university campuses, sports events and tourism destinations, as well as in constrained environments where the highly specific guidance from the automated system could be utilised. With these systems potentially providing different social impacts and different cost structure to the existing public transport systems, an objective and cost-based evaluation was developed to assist with consistent evaluation of such a system in New Zealand.
Rights
Permission to publish the abstract has been given by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), copyright remains with them.
Recommended Citation
Khoo, J., Nates, G., Hafoka, J., Weerappulige, A., Hewett, S., & Gregorevic, M. (2024). Feasibility study on commercial deployment of automated public transport vehicles in New Zealand (NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi research report 713).
