The technological development towards automated transport is fast. It is likely that automated road transport (ART) will change spatial development and the transport system in the North Sea Region and beyond in a fundamental way. Currently, much enabling of technological developments and test applications of automated vehicles can be observed but little guidance is being provided for public authorities on how to deal with these new technologies, particularly in their sustainable mobility plans, street design and regional development plans. In addition, not every aspect of the technology development can accepted as positive. Therefore, it is necessary to better involve and build the knowledge base of public authorities – enabling them to raise their voices in the development of new framework settings for this technology.
Project
ART-Forum will create a debating ground for local/regional authorities in the NSR, address risks and opportunities and help guide policy development with regard to the impact that automated transport could have on the entire road transport system and life in cities and regions in the NSR. A transnational approach is required as the onset of ART will pose a similar challenge for cities and regions across Europe and a joint public dialog and development of sound policy frameworks can help spread lessons learned and prepare other communities for this game changing technological development more rapidly than any one organisation could accomplish alone.
The DLR-Institute of Transport Research leads the work package on Impact Evaluation and Scenario Development aiming at the assessment of current developments, as well as on scenario building with qualitative and quantitative methodologies that engage stakeholders from various levels (citizens, planners, policy makers, businesses) across the programme area. Together with the DLR-Institute of Transportation Systems, DLR will contribute to the objective of engaging stakeholders in a dialogue on impacts of ART. Aside from the first order effects like travel behaviour, traffic volume/flow, DLR will pay particular attention to building knowledge on second order effects on the build environment like parking space requirements, street design and land use. DLR will contextualise this knowledge for the involved cities and participate in developing roadmaps for long-term transport and urban planning strategies.
Objectives
The overall objective of the ART-Forum project is to raise awareness among public stakeholders and develop policy recommendations that enable local and regional authorities to take advantage of the opportunities of automated road transport in order to support sustainable transport and territorial development goals as well as improve the quality of life in communities.
The DLR institutes will contribute their expertise to these goals with the following activities:
Contracting Entity
The project is funded by the European Union under the INTERREG North Sea Region Programme.
Project Parnter
Project Duration
03/2019 to 02/2022