Anyone who commutes by car in Rotterdam has experienced the crowded inner city and the problem of searching for an available parking spot. Due to the growth of the city and the increase in popularity of Rotterdam, less parking spots remain available in the city centre and people spend more time looking for a parking spot. On top of that, parking prices have risen 33% in Rotterdam over the past five years (Van Staalduine, 2017). A solution for this problem which would not only benefit us living in Rotterdam, but also the environment, are self-driving cars.
Self-driving cars won’t make you lose any time looking for a parking spot. Such a car could drop you off and then start searching for a (free) parking spot for itself (Williams, 2017). In a connected city, this would be easy as all available parking spaces would be known by the car. You’ll lose no time searching for a parking spot, while the parking spot could also be free of charge following your preferences. Furthermore, using self-driving cars would result in less traffic jams and congestion, as it is believed that traffic causes 30% of all urban traffic congestion (Shoup, 2006). As all cars would be interconnected, any delay would be relayed trough the network of vehicles on the road which would then alternate their route instantly in order to avoid traffic (Williams, 2017). Also, following the continuance of the sharing economy, self-driving cars could lead to less vehicles on the road. In theory, people will stop owning cars and consider them as a sort of public transport. Because of the decrease in need of owning a car, less cars will be bought and stay unused at parking spots which would benefit cities and their sights (Williams, 2017).
Implementing self-driving cars will take some time, as self-driving cars are just beginning to be considered legal authorities (Rijksoverheid, 2017). However, its benefits are clear: No more time spent searching for a parking spot in Rotterdam and no more traffic jams at the Maasboulevard. Don’t you think that’s great?
Reference List:
Rijksoverheid. (2017). Minister Schultz opent nieuwe proeftuin voor zelfrijzend vervoer. Retrieved 25 September, from https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2017/06/27/minister-schultz-opent-nieuwe-proeftuin-voor-zelfrijdend-vervoer
Shoup, D. C. (2006). Cruising for parking. Transport Policy 13, 6 (2006), 479-486
Van Staalduine, J. (2017). Parkeren wordt in Nederland steeds duurder – in Amsterdam betaalt u 5 euro per uur. Retrieved 25 September, from https://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/parkeren-wordt-in-nederland-steeds-duurder-in-amsterdam-betaalt-u-5-euro-per-uur~a4511820/
Williams, J. (2017). Would driverless cars be better for the Environment? Retrieved 25 September, from https://makewealthhistory.org/2017/07/17/would-driverless-cars-be-better-for-the-environment/
Hi Diyari,
Thanks for your post, I think this is a very exciting topic.
I agree with your post to the extent, that self-driving cars will have a great impact on how we commute or move around within our cities. However, I think the relationship is not so straightforward between this technology and congestion in cities as you have suggested.
It is true, that there are some factors based on which it seems reasonable that autonomous cars will decrease congestion in the cities:
– Cars will be better, more calculable ‘drivers’ than humans, therefore some of the main reasons for traffic jams (unexpected lane changing, not gradual braking) will be eliminated by the use of them.
– They will predict the traffic, and navigate through the less busy streets for example.
However, we have to keep the emergence of self-driving taxi solutions in mind, as you have suggested. But these, in my opinion, won’t ease the traffic but just the opposite (at least in the short-term).
– Those people, who currently own a car, won’t be changing for such service immediately, as owning a car is an important social status and a habit. Maybe, in longer term, with the entrance of millennials to the market, these sharing solutions will replace car ownership.
– The increasing usage of car-sharing applications is taking share from public transport, not current car owners. It is not only more convenient, but in some cases cheaper as well (see uberPOOL in Manhattan). With the emergence of the driverless taxis, this service might be even more cheaper sucking customers from the public transport share in the modal split of transportation.
– As a consequence of these two points, there will be more cars on the roads, meaning probably more congestion (at least in the short and mid-term).
So, in my opinion, self-driving cars will indeed have a great impact on how we commute. But can be only to the advantage of people living in cities, if it’s combined with appropriate policy and regulation.
Vince B Takács
487491
Please see my resources for more details:
http://www.schallerconsult.com/rideservices/unsustainable.pdf
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/upshot/self-driving-cars-cant-cure-traffic-but-economics-can.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&smvar=wkndbau
https://www.uber.com/nyc-riders/products/uberpool/
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38533517
Hello Vince,
Thanks for your comment. That’s a very detailed article you’ve referred to concerning app-based ride services by Schaller Consulting and it was interesting to read.
You make a great point by pointing out that current car owners won’t make the switch, as even I would have to admit as a millennial that it is an important social status. Perhaps in future, indeed, when all us millennials start working from 9 till 5 and continue to be stuck in traffic jams, we’ll make the switch earlier and all follow each other and make it a future form a social status.
However, you shouldn’t forget about the changing dynamics of public transport. Of course, driverless taxis are likely to steal customers from current forms of public transport such as trains or buses. But, these forms of public transport are also likely to innovate again. Currently, driverless city buses are being tested in Europe, which will be interconnected with the smart city just like the self-driving cars. These buses will help mobility in cities improve as they can carry more people around at once, while as a form of public transport it will likely remain relatively cheap.
On top of that, the number of cars on the road could indeed increase in cities. However, this isn’t likely to lead to more congestion. Research shows shows that self-driving cars have the ability to control their pace and this way “smooth out the traffic flow for all the cars” (De Dios, 2017). By adjusting pace, human-driven cars will also have to adjust their pace. This way, it is said that it would result to an elimination of up to 40% of total fuel consumption. Therefore, even the usage of a small number of driverless cars will have a positive impact on the amount of congestion in cities.
If interested, have a look at these two articles in which everything is explained in more detail.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170510095703.htm
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/self-driving-cars-automated-public-transport-bus/