Deploying AV technology on electric vehicle platforms can play a critical role in meeting global climate goals. In the United States, transportation is the #1 contributor to greenhouse gas emissions by sector — and to deliver on a sustainable mobility future, we must adopt an all-of-the-above approach to decarbonizing transportation. This includes transitioning from combustion engines to electric vehicles, reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips, making each trip more efficient through shared rides and batched deliveries, and encouraging the use of alternative modes of transportation.
AVs will help to democratize access to sustainable mobility through making zero-emission passenger mobility and goods delivery available to the public. Autonomy also provides an opportunity to rethink how vehicles are designed and used: Purpose-built vehicles that will never have a driver can be built for comfortable shared rides and batching deliveries from local stores to multiple homes in one trip. These new vehicle designs, combined with automated driving systems that are never intoxicated nor distracted, can increase the safety and comfort of people walking, biking, rolling, and using transit—thereby encouraging a greater shift to alternative transportation modes.
Listen as we explore the wide range of opportunities for AVs to deliver on more sustainable mobility with Tracy Cheung, Head of Sustainability at Cruise and Matthew Lipka, Head of Policy at Nuro.