Influences of Autonomous Vehicles on Sustainability: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Autonomous driving is an attractive and controversial topic in the field of mobility research. With the continuous technical progress in the field of autonomous vehicles, scientific research in this area is also growing exponentially. This is equally true for the topic of sustainability. Here, too, research interest and the resulting scientific publications have increased significantly in recent years. From the two mutually reinforcing factors, the risk of information overload for researchers can be derived. This paper attempts to address this complex of issues in a systematic manner. To this end, previous research is examined using a systematic literature review. Bibliometric methods and a qualitative content analysis support this approach. This summary is intended to serve as a basis for further research. This includes summarising current research as well as identifying current research gaps. The results of the article show a growing field of research with many special features. Above all, reducing emissions and increasing efficiency are decisive contributions to the sustainability of autonomous vehicles.