Abstract:This study evaluates the potential human health impacts from connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) scenarios in the San Francisco, Bay Area. The study concentrates on impacts derived from the effects of CAVs on travel demand, safety, and environmental emissions. The study combines an extensive literature review about the extent of such potential effects, authors informed assessments, as well as results from activityâ€based travel modeling to quantify the human health impacts of CAVs using the Integrated Transport and Health Impacts Model (ITHIM). Specifically, ITHIM estimates impacts considering changes in travel demand (e.g., vehicle miles traveled) and levels of physical activity. The results show significant opportunities for road traffic injury reductions, as well as the mitigation of environmental emissions. However, reduced physical activity from the mode shift to passenger vehicles (from active travel) could increase negative human health outcomes (e.g., diabetes and lung cancer). Moreover, the paper explores a set of scenarios that could mitigate some of the potential healthâ€related risks associated with CAVs.
Key words: Connected and autonomous vehicles, activityâ€based travel model, human health impact assessment