The bwirkt project (Accompanying Impact Research on Automated and Connected Driving in the Test Area Autonomous Driving Baden-Württemberg with Focus on Traffic Impacts) sheds light on and evaluates traffic, legal, social and technological impacts of automated and connected driving (ACD).
To investigate these impacts, numerous simulations, interviews, workshops, and online surveys were conducted. Positive effects due to ACD were identified both in terms of traffic flows and transport demand, especially when combining public transport and ACD. In addition, it was found that the Test Area Autonomous Driving Baden-Württemberg (TAF BW) is very well suited as a real-life laboratory, for testing registered automated vehicles and for investigating legal issues and technologies that are compliant with the data protection laws. TAF BW is also an ideal platform for interactive exchange and information with and of citizens. Thanks to its broad infrastructure, TAF BW also offers ideal conditions for researching various technological aspects within the framework of collaborative research projects between research and industry, especially SMEs, that reach beyond ACD.
At the same time, further research potential was identified in all four impact areas, among others: in-depth studies of traffic flows, the expansion of ACD-based mobility services, research into non-discriminatory accessible data pools, the development of further information services for citizens, connection opportunities for existing test areas, optimal communication of services, and the development of an even more holistic view of ACD.
