AV Meantime Coverage
Reference
- Illium, S., Friese, P.A., Müller, R., and Feld, S. 2020. What to do in the meantime: A service coverage analysis for parked autonomous vehicles. AGILE: GIScience Series 1, 7.
This research investigates a potential transitional model towards future transportation systems, focusing on privately owned shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs). The central idea, termed “What to do in the Meantime,” explores the feasibility of leveraging these vehicles for ride-sharing services during the significant portions of the day when they are typically parked and idle (e.g., while the owner is at work).
To assess the potential impact and viability of such a model, we developed and applied two distinct reachability analysis methods. These methods estimate the geographic area that could be effectively served by SAVs originating from their parking locations within given time constraints.
The analysis was conducted using a real-world dataset representing mobility patterns and parking durations in the greater Munich metropolitan area. Key findings reveal the significant influence of spatio-temporal factors on potential service coverage:
- Time Dependency: Service potential fluctuates considerably throughout the day, heavily impacted by rush hours which affect travel times and vehicle availability.
- Location Dependency: Marked differences in coverage potential were observed between dense urban centers and more dispersed suburban areas.
This study provides quantitative insights into the opportunities and limitations of utilizing the “meantime” of privately owned autonomous vehicles, contributing to the understanding of how future shared mobility systems might evolve. [Illium et al. 2020]
