Shared Lightweight Autonomous Vehicles for Urban Food Deliveries: A Simulation Study
Name
futuretransp-04-00030.pdf
Size
19.06 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
9afd8b3ae5eaf8c7c069049c5325e5f6
Author(s)
Genua Cerviño, Ainhoa
Coretti Sanchez, Naroa
Wang, Elaine Liu
Grignard, Arnaud
Larson, Kent
Date Issued
June 11, 2024
Journal
Future Transportation
Publisher
MDPI AG
Citation
Genua Cerviño, A.; Coretti Sanchez, N.; Wang, E.L.; Grignard, A.; Larson, K. Shared Lightweight Autonomous Vehicles for Urban Food Deliveries: A Simulation Study. Future Transp. 2024, 4, 634-658.
Version
Final published version
Abstract
In recent years, the rapid growth of on-demand delivery services, especially in food deliveries, has spurred the exploration of innovative mobility solutions. In this context, lightweight autonomous vehicles have emerged as a potential alternative. However, their fleet-level behavior remains largely unexplored. To address this gap, we have developed an agent-based model and an environmental impact study assessing the fleet performance of lightweight autonomous food delivery vehicles. This model explores critical factors such as fleet sizing, service level, operational strategies, and environmental impacts. We have applied this model to a case study in Cambridge, MA, USA, where results indicate that there could be significant environmental benefits in replacing traditional car-based deliveries with shared lightweight autonomous vehicle fleets. Lastly, we introduce an interactive platform that offers a user-friendly means of comprehending the model’s performance and potential trade-offs, which can help inform decision-makers in the evolving landscape of food delivery innovation.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Media Laboratory
Terms of Use
Creative Commons Attribution
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.3390/futuretransp4020030
