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How Should Autonomous Vehicles Be Regulated?

Autonomous vehicles could greatly reduce the risk of crashes. But the safety benefits are not yet proven and may not be known until AVs are widespread. What kind of regulatory approach could help balance innovation, risk, and uncertainty?

Sep 18, 2017
Project

Developing a New Transport Demand Model for the London Area

As part of a project to develop a new transport demand model for TfL, RAND Europe will develop individual-level models capable of predicting levels of transport demand in response to a range of different policy options and in light of demographic changes.

May 8, 2017
Project

Understanding the Demand for Rail Travel in UK

An analysis of the National Travel Survey allowed researchers to quantify the impact of external socio-economic factors on rail demand in the UK. Application of the improved models for forecasting purposes requires the collation of socio-economic and demographic forecast data at an appropriately granular level.

Apr 27, 2017
Multimedia

Challenges and Approaches to Realizing Autonomous Vehicle Safety

An overview of testimony by Nidhi Kalra submitted to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection on February 14, 2017.

Feb 14, 2017
Testimony

Realizing Autonomous Vehicle Safety

Autonomous vehicles hold enormous promise for transportation safety. But feasible, sound methods of testing need to be developed. In the meantime, policymakers should work to foster the development of self-driving vehicles while lowering their risks.

Feb 14, 2017
Infographic

Don't Rely on Test-Driving Alone to Assess Autonomous Vehicle Safety

Americans drive three trillion miles a year, causing one death every 100 million miles. To prove that autonomous vehicles are safer than humans, they would have to be test-driven astronomical distances. Regulators should pursue other ways of reducing uncertainty about AV safety.

Jan 9, 2017
Report

What's the Buzz on Delivery Drones?

Millions of commercial drones may be in the air by 2020. This could make near-instant airborne delivery a reality. But what are the hidden costs?

Dec 20, 2016
Testimony

Shaping the Future of Autonomous Vehicles

More than 90 percent of car crashes are caused by human errors. Will self-driving vehicles help mitigate this risk? To answer this question, experts must address how safety is measured and determine the threshold of safety required before autonomous vehicles are on the roads.

Nov 16, 2016
Project

Choice Modelling and Behavioural Research Capabilities at RAND Europe

RAND Europe experts develop and use discrete choice models and conduct consumer behaviour research using revealed preference and stated preference data, depending on the policy question.

Oct 14, 2016
Commentary

How to Prevent Drones Colliding in Crowded Skies

The federal government should work with private firms to develop drone traffic management systems and test drone designs. This could help stimulate the development of drone aviation. It could also help modernize the air traffic control system.

Sep 14, 2016
Commentary

Tesla Fatal Crash Reminds That Human Interface Remains Important

The first reported fatality in a self-driving vehicle is a chilling reminder that the evolving relationship with increasingly robotic motor vehicles needs to be a partnership, an undertaking with humans and machines managing the risks.

Jul 30, 2016
Commentary

Fatal Crash Shouldn't Kill Self-Driving Cars

The first known fatality in an autonomous vehicle occurred on May 7 and raises important questions. It does not, however, mean that self-driving cars are less safe than human drivers or that development of the technology should be stopped.

Jul 16, 2016
Commentary

Why It's Nearly Impossible to Prove Self-Driving Cars' Safety Without a New Approach

There are arguments to be made for permitting driverless cars in some capacity even if they are not quite as safe as human drivers, because doing so may enable developers to improve them faster, and thus save more lives overall.

May 12, 2016
Commentary

Regulating Drone Airspace Using 'Smart Markets'

With commercially operated autonomous drones potentially on the horizon, a policy problem is likely to emerge: allocation of scarce airspace and preferred flight paths. “Smart markets” could help.

Apr 19, 2016
News Release

News Release

Autonomous Vehicles Cannot Be Test-Driven Enough Miles to Demonstrate Their Safety; Alternative Testing Methods Needed

Under even the most-aggressive test driving assumptions, it would take existing fleets of autonomous vehicles tens and even hundreds of years to log sufficient miles to adequately assess the safety of the vehicles when compared to human-driven vehicles.

Apr 12, 2016
Report

Test-Driving Alone Cannot Demonstrate the Safety of Autonomous Vehicles

In order to advance autonomous vehicles into daily use, alternative testing methods must be developed to supplement on-the-road testing. Alternative methods might include accelerated testing, virtual testing and simulators, mathematical modeling, scenario testing, and pilot studies.

Apr 12, 2016
Journal Article

Journal Article

Understanding the Potential of Variable Tolling to Smooth Congestion on Downstream Facilities: Applications of a Joint Time-of-Day and Route Choice Model

The aim of this research was to understand the conditions under which time-varying tolls could be used to effectively smooth congestion on a downstream, untolled roadway.

Apr 6, 2016
Commentary

A New Tool to Assess the Costs and Effectiveness of Traffic Crash Interventions

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in the U.S. An online tool can help policymakers understand the available evidence-based interventions that can help prevent crash injuries and deaths, what they will cost, and how effective they will be in their state.

Apr 4, 2016
Report

Self-Driving Vehicles Offer Potential Benefits, Policy Challenges for Lawmakers

Self-driving vehicles offer the promise of significant benefits to society, but raise several policy challenges, including the need to update insurance liability regulations and privacy concerns such as who will control the data generated by this technology.

Mar 22, 2016
Commentary

With Driverless Cars, How Safe Is Safe Enough?

Before driverless cars can be deployed, a fundamental question remains: How safe is safe enough? Waiting for autonomous vehicles to operate perfectly misses opportunities to save lives by keeping far-from-perfect human drivers behind the wheel.

Feb 1, 2016

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