Shared Low-Speed Autonomous Vehicle System for Suburban Residential Areas

In the context of global suburbanization and population aging, a low-speed, automated vehicle (LSAV) system provides essential mobility services in suburban residential areas. Although extensive studies on shared autonomous (SAV) have been conducted, quantitative investigations operation LSAV systems are limited. Based demonstration pilot project an called “Slocal Automated Driving”, we investigated performance SAV considering several scenarios Kozoji Newtown, commuter town Japan. The agent-based simulation results revealed that 40 LSAVs can satisfy demands 2263 daily trips with average wait time 15 min. However, case high-speed scenario, same fleet size improved level service (LOS) by reducing to two half minutes halving in-vehicle time. By contrast, terms 95th percentile no-sharing ride scenario drastically deteriorated unacceptable level. fluctuations hourly share rates, times, number vacant vehicles, determined preparing for potential insufficiency periods from 7:00–13:00 15:00–18:00 improve LOS.