Scenario

Human driven vehicles are banned from the road on the grounds of safety

Response

AV communications, including CAV, city, and other communications, will be transformed due to the technological innovations. Social and cultural expectations of AV differ from their industry conditions; are the technological and the social expectations aligned? This is related to research questions 1 and 2.

Evidence: horse-driven vehicles were banned from the roads around the world by 1935–40[1]. Social and cultural history of AV suggests that AV technology is not as advanced as society expects it to be (cf. Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) -AV hierarchical levels).

Logistics & Communications

AV are carefully programmed to avoid congestions, park autonomously, and increase the efficiency of traffic management. They are also connected to the city through advanced technology such as CAV-to-SMARTcity communications and CAV-to-CAV communications.

CAV-to-CAV and CAV-to-SMART city communications will require a minimum 5G communication due to their data requirements and, potentially, quantum- or super-computing to deal with the data transmission. This suggests that logistical programmes to minimise energy use will be possible and desirable for CAV as a measure of environmental sustainability. This is related to research question 2.

Evidence: this is supported by technical papers on CAV communications requirements as well as the literature review on environmentally sensitive transportation systems (e.g. Tesla). See symposium literature review.

Semiotics of AV

The AV technology has made many visual signs that drivers had previously depended on redundant. These include ‘no parking’ signs, ‘no stopping’ signs, ‘no loading’ signs, and many other directional signs that have been taken down as the vehicles have begun computerising mapping and directional management systems. This indicates an overemphasis on communication using visual signalling. What semiotic and communicative possibilities are not being considered in this scenario?

No parking’ signs, ‘no stopping’ signs, ‘no loading’ signs, and a variety of other directional signs are no longer needed, since the vehicles have computerised mapping and directional management systems integrated with the city.

The current driver-oriented vehicle design is based on visual signs; this is part of a practice-based methodology and an explanation why the current system is predominantly visual. However, this will change with the appearance of new technologies and the emergence of unknown sensory and transhumanist possibilities. The following question arises: how will we communicate with the CAV/AV? Does a semiotic change suggest a change in the ethical framework?

What are the challenges for new semiotic systems and sensory systems, which are artificially intelligent, transhumanist, auditory, haptic, or visual? This is related to research questions 3 and 4.

Evidence: this is suggested by certain newspaper articles on the subject, as well as the Vienna Convention[1], the Vehicle Accessory Conventions[2], and the UK Government road sign assessment report.[3]

‘The right to the city’ & Environment

How have ‘the right to the city’ been infringed by the commodification of freight CAV? What impact does this have on the environment?

‘The right to the city’ is an environmental and human rights-related matter.

Commercial AV operators dominate in freight and delivery, and ‘the right to the city’ have been infringed along with a formation of a counter - AV movement. However, this is a vexed topic, as the implementation of AV is necessary to reduce accidents. AV dominate the transportation industry and have strong political/lobby support. ‘The right to the city’ have been infringed by the commodification of AV as a commercial enterprise. There are political movements formed in opposition to AV. This is related to research questions 3.

Evidence: there are newspaper reports on freight delivery transport taking over road space on motorways.