AUTOMATED VEHICLES: Iowa DOT study predicting higher automation for future of I-80

The study expects that by 2040, 20% to 85% of traffic will be highly or fully automated

Aug. 11, 2017

By 2040, at least a fifth of the traffic on I-80 in Iowa will be highly automated, a new Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) study says.

The study, which is part of a larger Iowa DOT analysis aimed at positioning rural parts of I-80 for the future, says the higher levels of automation would mean increased capacity and fewer accidents.

The study acknowledges that predicting the adoption of automated vehicle technologies is highly uncertain. In fact, Iowa DOT's prediction was that, by 2040, somewhere between 20% and 85% of traffic will be highly or fully automated.

Even at the low end of use, however, safety gains would be significant. The study predicts that at a 25% AV adoption, a nearly 20% crash reduction is anticipated. At 85%, the study predicted there would be a 50% reduction in fatalities and major injuries.

By 2060, the study said, 65% to 100% of traffic is expected to be highly automated.

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Source: Quad-City Times