Project Summary
While autonomous technologies have already received much attention for passenger vehicles, the exploration these technologies for trucks has been more limited. In addition to much-improved safety and environmental records, connected autonomous trucks are expected to decrease the cost of hauling freight, cut energy consumption, and allow a more intensive use of assets in logistic chains. By traveling in platoons, they could increase road capacity, which has important implications for transportation infrastructure. The purpose of this project is to quantify the traffic, infrastructure, environmental, and health impacts of replacing heavy-duty trucks with connected, zero-emission, level 1 automated heavy-duty trucks (CZAHDT) on selected freeways in Southern California. Building on prior research, researchers will explore how replacing on freeway heavy-duty trucks with CZAHDT in the region could help limit the need for additional freeway infrastructure in the Los Angeles basic in the year 2035. Researchers will also analyze the impacts of this change on traffic (congestion), and on the health of the population.
