Research & Discoveries (R&D): US Chamber Report on Economic & Social Benefits of AVs
Academics and experts around the world are studying how AVs can improve safety, enhance mobility, and create new economic opportunities, among other transformative benefits. AVIA’s Research & Discoveries (R&D) Series highlights these reports’ findings about how AVs can create a safer and more mobile world.
Need To Know (NTK): AVs Will Reduce Accidents, Enhance Mobility Options for Disadvanteged Populations, And Deliver Substantial Economic Benefits
A recent report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce quantified the ability of autonomous vehicles to sharply reduce traffic accidents and fatalities, enhance communities’ mobility and access, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide substantial economic benefits for the American people. The report highlights the importance of American leadership in AV innovation, noting the need for a national framework to accelerate the timeframe for widespread AV adoption.
AVs INCREASE SAFETY
A 25% adoption of AVs into the U.S. motor vehicle fleet would produce significant safety and health benefits:
- Preventing 1,442,000 crashes – a 28% compared to today’s safety record
- Preventing 12,000 fatalities
- $94.2 billion in economic savings and $8.3 billion in taxpayer savings by increasing productivity of people spared injury or death as well as lower property damage, health care costs, and auto and health insurance premiums
AVs ENHANCE MOBILITY ACCESS
A broad use of AVs will provide new access to jobs for people with disabilities who are unable to commute to find productive employment and will expand job opportunities for nondrivers and other people living in areas poorly served by public transit. A 25% adoption of AVs into the U.S. motor vehicle fleet would increase annual vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by:
- 4.6 billion miles for persons with disabilities
- 4.9 billion miles for seniors
- 2.4 billion miles for nondrivers
AVs REDUCE EMISSIONS
AVs could significantly improve air quality, reducing CO2 emissions up to 8.2% and reducing nitrogen oxides emissions by up to 8.9%. Many AVs are part of rideshare fleets, and therefore the number of personal vehicles could be reduced.
AVs could significantly reduce greenhouse gas and particulate emissions while helping prevent an estimated 7 million premature deaths in the U.S. per year from air pollution.
AVs INCREASE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS
The AV sector is critical to the U.S. motor vehicle industry, which already employs over 4 million people. With new options for mobility and accessibility, AVs will drive job creation and income gains for nondrivers, people with disabilities, and people living in areas with limited access to public transit.
AVs used to enhance mobility could add to the overall demand for motor vehicles and the jobs to produce them. The adoption of AVs will create more jobs for technical and mechanical specialists for both AV manufacturers and the producers of their intermediate inputs. This includes new jobs in electronics and computer manufacturing, telecommunication equipment and services, and infrastructure and construction.
CONCLUSION
AVs offer tremendous safety, mobility, environmental and economic opportunities. To make the vision of AVs a reality, the U.S. must pass federal legislation to maximize the technology’s safe deployment and commercialization. Without federal action, the U.S. risks falling behind other countries that continue to make AV advancements.