The case study examines the electric autonomous and connected mobility network in the EU region. Automated, electric and connected cars and other vehicles are a major step towards zero traffic deaths and the European sustainability and decarbonisation goals. Partly electric and semi-autonomous vehicles will likely be widely available by 2025 and fully electric versions by 2035.
The shift to electric and automated vehicles requires cooperation
The deployment of these new types of vehicles poses multiple challenges to, for example, traffic control, road infrastructure, telecommunications, driver training, and battery charging infrastructure. However, the deployment is also dependent on the citizens who end up using and investing in the vehicles.
The European Cooperative, Connected and Automated Mobility (CCAM) is an initiative that supports EU countries and manufacturers in the transition towards connected and automated driving. CCAM is currently preparing roadmaps for the deployment of autonomous vehicles together with public authorities, major industries, and research organizations. Until now, citizens have had a limited role in the transition preparations. We will study how average citizens can participate and get engaged in the sustainable mobility transition.
We will study how citizens can get involved in the mobility transition
In the case study, we will engage with different stakeholders to better understand their rationales to engage in CCAM. The average citizen is still mostly unaware of the transition processes towards electric autonomous driving. Special attention will be given to understand citizens’ understanding and engagement with CCAM and bring their views and expectations into CCAM.
Currently CCAM remains in the collective imagination as a distant option but many of the technologies enabling it are already here. CCAM has the potential to revolutionize transport as we experience it now. Our goal is to ensure that citizens are heard and allowed to actively participate in the deployment of electric and autonomous mobility.
The stakeholders will be engaged via interviews and workshops that will facilitate the design of a broader consultation with European citizens in major cities across the EU with a survey aiming to target current and potential users of CCAM. The time horizon has four moments: 1) initial consultations (early in 2022), 2) Workshop in Spring 2022, EU consultation in Summer 2022; 4) Workshop in Early winter 2022 to present results of the EU consultation. The case study is led by TNO.
