THE EFFECT OF THE SHARE OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IN ROAD TRAFFIC ON TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AND FUEL CONSUMPTION IN THE VICINITY OF MID-BLOCK PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS

Introduction of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in road traffic is commonly presented as an opportunity to improve safety and traffic performance through elimination of human factor from the decisive process, including its replacement with vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. However, AVs must take into account interactions with vulnerable road users (including pedestrians and cyclists), which is problematic due to the need for prediction of their behavior and adequate reaction thereto. The article presents the results of microsimulation analyses of AV traffic in the vicinity of a mid-block pedestrian crossing. With the assumed gradual increase in the share of AVs in traffic, the results suggest that pedestrian crossings are among locations where smoothness of traffic flow may considerably deteriorate. The results of the performed analyses and literature studies indicate that AVs will have to brake more rapidly (or brake earlier) and come to a complete stop more frequently than conventional vehicles. The article also presents the effect of the share of AVs in road traffic on fuel consumption, which indirectly affects the environment.