January 2014 (Special)

From the Editors
This is a special issue of AV Update to inform our readers that a complementary report on automated vehicles is now available.

"Automated Vehicles: the Coming of the Next Disruptive Technology" is a report that was jointly prepared and distributed by the Conference Board of Canada, CAVCOE, and the Van Horne Institute.

The report contains five key messages:

First, it examines the current status of AV developments and the rollout during this decade and the 2020s.

Second, the report addresses the economic and social impacts AVs may have, and summarizes the benefits they will deliver to Canada.  We estimate that the total economic benefit may possibly be over $65 billion per year, including collision avoidance, fuel cost savings, and congestion avoidance. As with any significant technological change, there are winners and losers.

Third, the report assesses the impact of AVs on transportation infrastructure. It contends that no major infrastructure project should be under taken in Canada without an "AV Impact Audit" that governments and the private sector should be conducting.

Fourth, the report details the reduction in Canadian household transportation costs that will be delivered by AVs. Personal expenditures on transportation are one of the most significant expenditure items for Canadian households. We estimate that the total potential cost savings are nearly $3,000 per household, or approximately $2,700 after considering a 10-per cent rebound effect.

Fifth, the report calls on the federally-appointed panel conducting the review of Canada's transportation policies to study the arrival of AVs in Canada and support the scholarship that is necessary for Canada to keep pace with this rapidly evolving technology.

Although the five points raised above were written in a Canadian context, similar conclusions and messages are applicable to most other countries.  The report also develops five priorities for action in Canada on the AV file.

This complementary AV report is available at www.cavcoe.com/articles/AV_rpt_2015-01.pdf   .

We hope that you find it useful.  If you have any questions, please write to info@cavcoe.com

AV Update is a free, monthly roundup of news and analysis in the world of automated vehicles and their impact on all levels of government and the private sector.

Editors: Barrie Kirk, Paul Godsmark
Photography: Christine Vanstone, Keith Fagan

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