Research on the equity implications of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) has identified several groups that could significantly benefit from the technology, such as older adults, children, and individuals with disabilities. These studies typically highlight the potential for CAVs to improve participation in daytime activities but tend to overlook the substantial opportunities for CAVs to enhance equity and quality of life by providing safe nighttime transportation. This emphasis reflects the limited attention nighttime travel behavior receives in transportation research. However, evidence suggests that the night presents unique mobility barriers: pedestrian fatalities increase after dark, women's nighttime travel is notably reduced—particularly among those without access to a personal vehicle, and shift workers commuting at night are at a higher risk of collisions. This presentation will examine the obstacles to equitable nighttime mobility and discuss how CAVs could overcome these challenges. It will also advocate for planners and engineers to envision CAV planning as a project of co-creation with community voices in which those who stand to benefit the most from the technology shape its development and implementation.
Dr. Matthew Palm is an Assistant Professor and Cities Pardue Fellow in City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. His research focuses on the social and quality of life impacts of transportation investments, the equity of transportation system benefits and burdens, and nighttime transportation. Matthew is the academic lead of the Innovative Pilots and Policies working group of Mobilizing Justice, a research partnership committed to advancing transportation equity in Canada. He has published past research on affordable housing and transportation topics in the U.S.A., Canada, and Australia.