Ride-hailing in Metro Vancouver: Uber, Lyft, Sidecar - emerging technologies

[logan5]

From Wikipedia...

Additional advantages could include higher speed limits;[51] smoother rides;[52] and increased roadway capacity; and minimized traffic congestion, due to decreased need for safety gaps and higher speeds.[53][54] Currently, maximum controlled-access highway throughput or capacity according to the US Highway Capacity Manual is about 2,200 passenger vehicles per hour per lane, with about 5% of the available road space is taken up by cars. One study estimated that automated cars could increase capacity by 273% (≈8,200 cars per hour per lane). The study also estimated that with 100% connected vehicles using vehicle-to-vehicle communication, capacity could reach 12,000 passenger vehicles per hour (up 545% from 2,200 pc/h per lane) traveling safely at 120 km/h (75 mph) with a following gap of about 6 m (20 ft) of each other. Human drivers at highway speeds keep between 40 and 50 m (130 and 160 ft) away from the vehicle in front. These increases in highway capacity could have a significant impact in traffic congestion, particularly in urban areas, and even effectively end highway congestion in some places.[55] The ability for authorities to manage traffic flow would increase, given the extra data and driving behavior predictability[56] combined with less need for traffic police and even road signage.