Implications of vehicle automation for accessibility and social inclusion of people on low income, people with physical and sensory disabilities and older people

We analyse the implications of vehicle automation for the accessibility of vulnerable social groups (i.e. people on low income, people with physical and sensory disabilities, older people) and consequently for their transport-related social exclusion. First, we show that the accessibility component influenced by automated vehicles, the vehicle automation level and the mobility service model (i.e. private or shared vehicles) would likely determine the magnitude and direction of social inclusion implications for these social groups. Positive implications for accessibility and thus social inclusion are expected to increase with the level of vehicle automation and vehicle sharing. Yet, the requirements for digital access and online payment for those services, vehicle custom-design, operating complexities, and uncertainties, insecurity and distrust in adoption new vehicle technologies could compromise possible accessibility gains and thus negatively influence social inclusion levels