Shared lightweight autonomous vehicles for urban food deliveries: A simulation study

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Cerviño, Ainhoa Genua, Sanchez, Naroa Coretti, Wang, Elaine Liu, Grignard, Arnaud, Larson, Kent
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Cerviño, Ainhoa Genua
Sanchez, Naroa Coretti
Wang, Elaine Liu
Grignard, Arnaud
Larson, Kent
author_facet Cerviño, Ainhoa Genua
Sanchez, Naroa Coretti
Wang, Elaine Liu
Grignard, Arnaud
Larson, Kent
contents In recent years, the rapid growth of on-demand deliveries, especially in food deliveries, has spurred the exploration of innovative mobility solutions. In this context, lightweight autonomous vehicles have emerged as a potential alternative. However, their fleet-level behavior remains largely unexplored. To address this gap, we have developed an agent-based model and an environmental impact study assessing the fleet performance of lightweight autonomous food delivery vehicles. This model explores critical factors such as fleet sizing, service level, operational strategies, and environmental impacts. We have applied this model to a case study in Cambridge, MA, USA, where results indicate that there could be environmental benefits in replacing traditional car-based deliveries with shared lightweight autonomous vehicle fleets. Lastly, we introduce an interactive platform that offers a user-friendly means of comprehending the model's performance and potential trade-offs, which can help inform decision-makers in the evolving landscape of food delivery innovation.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2402_19233
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Shared lightweight autonomous vehicles for urban food deliveries: A simulation study
Cerviño, Ainhoa Genua
Sanchez, Naroa Coretti
Wang, Elaine Liu
Grignard, Arnaud
Larson, Kent
Computers and Society
In recent years, the rapid growth of on-demand deliveries, especially in food deliveries, has spurred the exploration of innovative mobility solutions. In this context, lightweight autonomous vehicles have emerged as a potential alternative. However, their fleet-level behavior remains largely unexplored. To address this gap, we have developed an agent-based model and an environmental impact study assessing the fleet performance of lightweight autonomous food delivery vehicles. This model explores critical factors such as fleet sizing, service level, operational strategies, and environmental impacts. We have applied this model to a case study in Cambridge, MA, USA, where results indicate that there could be environmental benefits in replacing traditional car-based deliveries with shared lightweight autonomous vehicle fleets. Lastly, we introduce an interactive platform that offers a user-friendly means of comprehending the model's performance and potential trade-offs, which can help inform decision-makers in the evolving landscape of food delivery innovation.
title Shared lightweight autonomous vehicles for urban food deliveries: A simulation study
topic Computers and Society
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.19233