Automated vehicles: a game-changer for inclusive mobility?

Automated vehicles (AVs) are set to revolutionise road transport, offering safer ride, reduced traffic congestion and a lighter environmental impact. However, their most transformative potential lies in increasing accessibility for individuals with disabilities and for older adults.

A new JRC report puts forward recommendations to include accessibility features already in the design phase of automated vehicles.

With one in four adults in the EU living with a disability, half of whom are 65 or older, this technology could be an important vector of social inclusion and participation.

By removing the need for a human driver, automated vehicles can provide unprecedented independence and mobility for those who cannot drive conventional vehicles. However, realising these benefits requires strategic planning and collaboration among various stakeholders.

Addressing mobility challenges

Following two collaborative workshops featuring participants from the private sector, EU bodies, universities and NGOs representing people with disabilities, the JRC study identifies long-standing transportation challenges and proposes a set of recommendations to guide stakeholders through technological development, local implementation, and policy decisions.

For technology developers:
- Integrate Universal Design Principles from the start
- Involve users with diverse needs in the design process
- Provide alternative interaction methods, such as voice assistants and gesture-recognition systems
For service providers and local authorities:
- Ensure accessibility at all stages of the journey, including physical and digital environments
- Offer tailored assistance services and paratransit options
- Ensure alternatives to smartphone applications, such as booking services, offline services and call centres
- Organise programmes and training to enhance user confidence
For policy makers:
- Unlock funding for accessible AV research and development
- Develop regulations that consider existing accessibility requirements and new AV-specific needs
- Mandate accessible information and communication in AV services.

Background

Accessibility for people with disabilities is a priority on the European Commission's agenda, as stated in the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.

The strategy highlights the potential of Connected, Cooperative, and Automated Mobility (CCAM) to support this goal, though more efforts are still needed. This objective is reinforced in the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which emphasises the importance of accessibility in transport.