Assessing the impact of automated driving: Needs, challenges and future directions

Automated driving in all its different forms is now underway and large European projects have been launched to investigate the effects in real life. Field Operational Tests are typically used to gather evidence to assess the impacts. The FESTA methodology was developed to design and conduct FOTs and analyse the outcomes. Currently the methodology is being updated to address the challenges of the upcoming pilots on road automation. The ultimate goal of performing automated driving studies is to gain insight into the impacts automation will have on transport and on society in general. In this paper we will explain how the series of FOT-Net (2008-2016) and the CARTRE (2016-2018) coordination and support actions address the development of a common methodology. Questions around the formulation of research questions, data analysis, user acceptance and impact assessment are addressed. One of the most important ways forward is the sharing of data, knowledge and experiences. Only by combining the knowledge sources will we be able to get a clearer picture of what the future impacts of road automation will be. FOT-Net has developed a data sharing framework and recommendations from this framework will be described.