Examining and Evaluating the Role of Shared Autonomous Vehicles in Social Equity

This research examines the impact of shared autonomous vehicles on fostering social equity within Tehran's urban transportation framework, particularly concerning vulnerable populations such as individuals with disabilities, children, and the elderly. To achieve this, a mixed-method approach was utilized, executed in two phases. In the initial phase, employing experiment design methodology, 25 scenarios were crafted based on the integration of four social equity indicators: accessibility, cost, distribution of transport modes, and service satisfaction. These scenarios were subsequently assessed by transportation specialists. In the second phase, field data were gathered through a distinct questionnaire distributed to three vulnerable groups throughout Tehran. The data was analyzed utilizing a multinomial logit model. The novelty of this study is found in its provision of a comprehensive framework that merges the analysis of designed scenarios with field evaluations from vulnerable groups, with the objective of evaluating social equity in the context of emerging transportation technologies. The results of the analysis demonstrated that the average values of all four indicators experienced a significant increase following the introduction of shared autonomous vehicles. Specifically, accessibility improved from 2.7 to 3.76 (a 39.26% increase), cost enhanced from 2.53 to 3.47 (a 37.17% increase), the distribution of transport modes rose from 2.9 to 3.81 (a 31.38% increase), and satisfaction increased from 2.67 to 3.45 (a 29.23% increase). The sensitivity analysis of the model indicated that, among the four indicators, accessibility emerged as the most critical and influential factor in promoting social equity. Before the advent of this technology, the overall social equity level was rated at 2 (poor), but following the implementation of shared autonomous vehicles, this rating improved to 3 (moderate). The results of this research indicate that shared autonomous vehicles may function as a valuable resource for creating intelligent, inclusive, and fair transportation systems, especially for at-risk populations. These findings can provide a basis for policymakers to formulate equity-focused initiatives for the future of transportation.