The Impact of Autonomous Vehicles on Safety, Economy, Society, and Environment

Autonomous driving is a rising technology expected to revolutionize commuting. Even if the spread of autonomous vehicles is slower than expected some years ago, their progress will not stop and will become a reality shortly. Therefore, we must manage them both technologically and by considering their impact on other aspects such as safety, economy, society, and environment. Of these, trust in these vehicles by society is a crucial element that must be accounted for when designing the interaction between human passengers and autonomous vehicles. Economical and social impacts derived from the diffusion of autonomous vehicles hold both promises and challenges, as different sectors and professions might undergo considerable changes, along with our idea of transport infrastructure. This paper aims to analyze future developments and effects of this technology by starting with a review of the related work. For this purpose, we have analyzed several papers with contrasting perspectives and conclusions. This paper is not limited to summarizing them but also points out relevant research directions.