This book takes a look at fully automated, autonomous vehicles and discusses many open questions: How can autonomous vehicles be integrated into the current transportation system with diverse users and human drivers? Where do automated vehicles fall under current legal frameworks? What risks are associated with automation and how will society respond to these risks? How will the marketplace react to automated vehicles and what changes may be necessary for companies? Experts from Germany and the United States define key societal, engineering, and mobility issues related to the automation of vehicles. They discuss the decisions programmers of automated vehicles must make to enable vehicles to perceive their environment, interact with other road users, and choose actions that may have ethical consequences. The authors further identify expectations and concerns that will form the basis for individual and societal acceptance of autonomous driving. While the safety benefits of such vehicles are tremendous, the authors demonstrate that these benefits will only be achieved if vehicles have an appropriate safety concept at the heart of their design. Realizing the potential of automated vehicles to reorganize traffic and transform mobility of people and goods requires similar care in the design of vehicles and networks. By covering all of these topics, the book aims to provide a current, comprehensive, and scientifically sound treatment of the emerging field of “autonomous driving".

This book discusses transport systems and the implementation of related public policy - a relevant topic with contemporary traffic congestion, environmental intrusion, transport safety, and budget issues. It is a resource for both experienced researchers and those new to the field.

Intelligent Transportation Systems: Functional Design for Economical and Efficient Traffic Management provides practical guidance on the efficient use of resources in the design of ITS. The author explains how functional design alternatives can meet project objectives and requirements with optimal cost effectiveness and clarifies how transportation planning and traffic diversion principles relate to functional ITS device selections and equipment locations. Methodologies for translating objectives to functional device types, determining device deployment densities and determining the best placement of CCTV cameras and message signs are provided, as are models for evaluating the benefits of design alternatives based on traffic conditions. Readers will learn how to reduce recurrent congestion, improve incident clearance time in non-recurrent congestion, provide real-time incident information to motorists, and leverage transportation management center data for lane control through important new active transportation and demand management (ATDM) methods. Finally, the author examines exciting developments in connected vehicle technologies, exploring their potential to greatly improve safety, mobility and energy efficiency. This resource will greatly benefit all ITS designers and managers and is of pivotal importance for operating agencies performing evaluations to justify operational funding and system expansions.

"This book aims at giving a complete panorama of the active and promising crossing area between traffic engineering and multi-agent system addressing both current status and challenging new ideas"--Provided by publisher.

Covers the major areas of operation of ground transportation systems, control strategies & algorithms, computer aspects & tools, availability & safety.