Autonomous vehicles and intelligent transportation

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are at the forefront of the evolution of intelligent transportation systems (ITSs) that tackle the major issues of traffic congestion, road safety, and environmental impact. It is during this period of artificial intelligence (AI) development, Internet of Things (IoT), and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication that the AVs can gradually be integrated with modern transport infrastructures. Key concepts of vehicle operations are levels of autonomy, perception systems, and real-time decision-making processes. Now, these are shaping the legislative and ethical frameworks dealing with possible threats from a cybersecurity perspective across the world. Real-life implementations of AVs also provide significant insight into their successes and indeed limitations. Technologies such as sensors, machine learning (ML) algorithms, and innovations in connected mobility platforms are maturing and are almost ready for mass deployment. Public acceptance, infrastructure adequacy, and inter-industry collaboration remain overarching factors to deploy an AV successfully. In the next decades, AVs operating with smart urban ecosystems will change the paradigm of the movement of people and goods. If AVs are sufficiently plugged into technological, policy, and societal needs, they could be a binding element for cities seeking safe, smart, and environmentally sustainable transportation systems worldwide.