Connected and automated transport systems (CATS) are expected to be introduced in increasing numbers over the next decade. Automated vehicles have attracted the public imagination and there are high expectations in terms of safety, mobility, environment and economic growth. With such systems not yet in widespread use, there is a lack of data and knowledge about impacts.

Furthermore, the potentially disruptive nature of highly automated vehicles makes it very difficult to determine future impacts from historic patterns. Estimates of future impacts of automated and connected mobility systems may be based on forecasting approaches, yet there is no agreement over the methodologies nor the baselines to be used. The need to measure the impact of existing systems as well as forecast the impact of future systems represent a major challenge.

The aim of the LEVITATE project is to prepare a new impact assessment framework to enable policymakers to manage the introduction of connected and automated transport systems, maximise the benefits and utilise the technologies to achieve societal objectives.

Finally, the dimensions for assessment are themselves very wide, including safety, mobility and environment but with many sub-divisions adding to the complexity of future mobility forecasts.

Several methods are used to estimate the impact of CATS on traffic indicators and emissions. In addition to the microsimulations carried out for the cities of Athens and Manchester, AIT carried out a mesoscopic simulation for Vienna with MATSim and used a system dynamics approach.

One of the main outputs of the project is the Policy Support Tool (PST), which helps policy makers to visualise the impacts of different levels of fleet automation in understandable diagrams. The direct impacts are summarised in the form of Deliverables. The results of the simulation scenarios for automated urban shuttle services and road pricing can be found in D5.1-D5.4 and D6.1-D6.4, respectively.