AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
“ More connected cars require connected vehicle ecosystems in smart cities to facilitate the shift ”
JORDAN MACPHERSON PARK PLACE TECHNOLOGIES
The future of mobility The self-driving revolution represents another potential change : the ways in which technology might completely alter the ‘ how ’ in terms of transportation . Is this the start of the robotaxi rise ?
“ Just as mobile phones slowly replaced digital cameras , the driverless vehicle is the next inevitable phase of transport ,” says Stuart Parker , Head of Future Lab , Goodwood Group . “ There are several wellknown companies within this space already , but others are following in their footsteps and creating new and more innovative ways to get people from A to B .”
According to a report by KPMG , AVs may cut travel time by up to 40 %, recover up to 80 billion hours lost to commuting and congestion , and reduce fuel consumption by up to 40 %. “ These cost / time-saving benefits are expected to be worth about US $ 1.3tn in the country ,” the report adds . “ Other potential cost-saving domains include reduced manpower – drivers and law enforcers .”
Robotaxis are fully-automated vehicles to take passengers to their intended destinations , on demand . Whether that eventually comes true is yet to be seen ; what is certain , however , is that robotaxis are already undergoing limited public trials across the world , from Arizona to China .
Last August , Baidu became the first robotaxi operator in China to obtain permits for selling rides with no human driver or staff member inside the vehicles .
The tech giant ’ s autonomous ride-hailing service , Apollo Go , is now authorised to