Walkability in the Connected and Automated Vehicle Era: A U.S. Perspective on Research Needs

Abstract

Walkability and walking activity are of interest to planners, engineers, and health practitioners for their potential to improve safety, promote environmental and public health, and increase social equity. Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) will reshape the built environment, mobility, and safety in ways we cannot know with certainty—but which we may anticipate will change the meaning of “walkability.” The CAV era may provide economic, environmental, and social benefits, while potentially disrupting the status quo. This paper considers the concept of walkability in light of the approaching transition to CAVs, considering literature in engineering, information technology, built environment, land use, and public health, to support a discussion on research needs. To add depth, we subject a collection of research papers and technical reports to text analytics.