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Imagine an urban neighborhood where most of the cars are self-driving. What would it be like to be a pedestrian?
Actually, pretty good, according to Adam Millard-Ball, assistant professor of environmental studies at UC Santa Cruz. In fact, pedestrians might end up with the run of the place.
In a new study published online Wednesday (Oct. 26) in the Journal of Planning Education and Research, Millard-Ball looks at the prospect of urban areas where a majority of vehicles are "autonomous" or self-driving. It's a phenomenon that's not as far off as one might think.
"Autonomous vehicles have the potential to transform travel behavior," Millard-Ball says. He uses game theory to analyze the interactions between pedestrians and self-driving vehicles, with a focus on yielding at crosswalks.
Because autonomous vehicles are by design risk-averse, Millard-Ball's model suggests that pedestrians will...