Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have the potential to radically transform the spaces we travel through and to. While many European cities have already started experimenting with autonomous mobility, much of the current discussion revolves around the technology itself and its potential social and environmental impact. But if AVs aren't properly integrated into a city's spatial planning, chances are high that it won't be able to deliver on its promised potential. 

PAV (Planning for Autonomous Vehicles) is an Interreg NSR-funded project that will help cities develop sustainable spatial planning strategies that include AVs. Beyond working directly with the partner cities, PAV can help other local authorities integrate autonomous mobility by making the necessary knowledge and methodology freely and easily accessible.

The AV pilot in Almere is the only one of the five PAV pilots that took a virtual approach. It simulates the introduction of AV buses to Almere’s unique BRT network and shows us a glimpse of what AVs could mean for public transport in Almere’s future large-scale urban district of Pampus in the year 2040 and beyond.

The animatic presents Almere, its current public transport system, the virtual pilot process and the 3 AV scenarios for Pampus that have been developed together with several PAV project partners. The 3D animation provides insight into the ways in which public transport and the city could evolve in the future as a result of introducing autonomous vehicle technology.

For more information on the PAV project, click here.