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Early studies projected potential societal, economic and environmental benefits by the widespread deployment of Autonomous and Connected Transport (ACT) promising a significant reduction of transport costs and improvement in road safety. An effective way of assessing ACT impact is via simulations, where results are largely affected by the scenarios defining the ACT development. However, modelled scenarios are very diverse due to the huge uncertainty in ACT development and deployment. This chapter aims to shed light on the different ACT simulation scenarios and sustainability aspects that should be considered while developing or reporting the simulation results. To this end, this chapter discusses the various simulation approaches, what the required (or the typically utilised) pipelines are, and how some components are more important or less important than in ‘classic’ modelling and simulation approaches. Special focus is dedicated to the uncertainty related to ACT operational parameters and how these will impact transport modelling. To address said uncertainty, an analysis of current approaches to scenario building is provided, as the chapter guides the reader through different methodologies and clusters them in relation to the desired indicators. Finally, the chapter identifies and proposes Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that are useful when applying simulation tools to assess ACT scenarios. These KPIs can be used for simulation scenario development to test particular sustainability aspects of ACT deployment and relevant policies.

Many countries and regions have recognised the potential of automated transport as a solution to cover mobility needs in a sustainable way. They have implemented dedicated strategies and allowed trial operations of Automated Vehicles (AVs) within their national frameworks.

This chapter conducts an analysis of the legal frameworks for AV trial operations in 11 European countries. It reviews existing laws and regulations and includes results from an online survey with national stakeholders and experts experienced in AV testing.

The results reveal very different approaches among European countries. Moreover, results indicate a stronger focus on technical safety aspects of the vehicles rather than on operational procedures and mobility integration, such as incorporating AV services into existing public transport systems.

This high level of disparity between the different European legal frameworks poses a considerable barrier to a rollout of the technologies and methodologies for AVs without cross-border and cross-supplier conflicts. Furthermore, when moving to the deployment of real services in the near future a common European framework and a stronger focus on operational procedures are essential for the implementation of automated transport services in order to cover the mobility needs of people in a more sustainable way (e.g. first/last mile to public transport).

European countries should further integrate operational aspects in the terms of services that are integrated in public transport, align deployment of AVs with national and local sustainability goals and focus on use cases beyond private vehicles to foster the transition to a more sustainable future of transport.

Apart from the challenges related to vehicle technology, the wide-scale deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in cities is linked to unprecedented opportunities and unforeseen impacts. These refer to mobility conditions, infrastructure, land use, wider socio-economic factors, energy use and environmental and climate effects. AVs may affect all these in positive or negative ways, promoting or obstructing the promotion of specific aspects of sustainable urban development. An integrated planning framework is needed to maximise the positive impacts and mitigate the negative ones. The main obstacle in the process of developing such a framework is the absence of empirical data and experience from the implementation of this emerging technology. This chapter outlines the possible impacts of AVs and discusses their uncertainty and trade-offs in relation to sustainable urban development. The categorisation of impacts derives from the priorities of the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The chapter also highlights the lack of data for the development of an evidence-based planning approach and suggests relevant recommendations to planners. In contrast to the current lack of data, the future abundance of Big Data collected by autonomous road transport systems is discussed in the context of future urban planning purposes. Based on the above, the chapter concludes by stressing the importance of an integrated urban transport planning approach that ensures a positive contribution of AVs to sustainable urban development. Hence, it offers valuable recommendations for policymakers in a range of fields.

Rapid technological change in the transport sector is leading to a growing range of potential and actual ‘business models’ deployable for the movement of goods and people. Two key uncertainties arise from this proliferation: first, concerning which ones can be economically viable, and, second, whether they can be both simultaneously economically viable and contribute to the imperatives of more sustainable mobility. The present chapter reviews and appraises the emergence of these new business models, drawing on both literature review and empirical research with entrepreneurs involved in the new mobility sector. Specifically, the potential of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (UN, n.d.) as a device to structure and frame the debate about what constitutes a valuable contribution to sustainable mobility is considered. A framework is developed which captures how mobility and transport have dependencies with the SDGs. From this analysis, key sustainability concepts are derived which have either a subsistence function (maintaining the basics of human life) or an enhancement function (enabling citizens to realise their potential whilst reducing impacts on the planet). Five different innovations involving mobility sector business entrepreneurship are then characterised using this framework to exemplify its ability to deconstruct and test claims that ‘smart mobility’ is also good for sustainability as well as good for business. It is concluded that the framework could contribute to a wider architecture of sustainability interrogation. It could promote discourse around a wide range of actors, posing questions and surfacing tensions and contingencies effectively, whilst providing a holistic, strategic assessment to inform more targeted, scientific evaluations of sustainability metrics.

Introduction: In the context of Sri Lanka, this study compares how institutions and financial development (FD) affect economic growth (EG) and inclusive growth (IG).

Purpose: The well-structured administration and judicial system at the provincial level have been established against the socioeconomic vulnerabilities in the country for an extended period. Still, the country as a whole and provincial level is experiencing huge income and social inequality, though there are required provisions for enhancing the well-being of the people.

Methodology: The study consists of data from the nine provinces from 2013 to 2019. The analysis used the Dynamic Spatial Durbin Model (D-SDM) to explore the spatial dependencies between the provinces. Two models were developed: the interaction of the financial service activities (FSA) and insurance, reinsurance, and pension (INPEN), representing the FD with the EG and IG with and without. The IG index was estimated by principal component analysis (PCA) using indicators of the four dimensions. The results indicated spatial dependency among FD’s interaction with EG when provincial tax (PROTAX) and provincial expenses (PROEXP) are the provincial institutions.

Findings: The IG model results showed the IG’s spatial dependency moderated by the FD and only the IG model between the provinces. PROEXP showed a significant positive spillover impact among provinces towards the IG.

Practical Implications: The finding inform economic policy making while identifying weaknesses in existing local governments. Attention must be given to how poverty can be reduced, enhancing the well-being of the people with the proper channelling of finance and government institutional mechanisms.

This chapter will examine two questions. First, how can art and cultural heritage contribute to the health and well-being of a place within the context of the tourism industry? More specifically, can cultural tourism be a driver for community sustainability, that is, not only environmental sustainability but also social empowerment, cultural preservation, and economic vitality? To explore these questions, the author begins by establishing the ways art and environment are closely intertwined, while pondering how cultural production generally – along with the cultural tourists it attracts – can be a driver for sustainability in tourism settings. The benefits that the arts draw from the environment as well as the ways the environment benefits from the arts will be examined. In the next section, the author unpacks how cultural tourism, and more specifically art production, can be drivers for environmental sustainability through social and eco-entrepreneurship and the creation of a shared social value. In the third section, the author identifies some of the challenges inherent in government regulation and preservation of cultural heritage sites. The author argues that communication, cooperation, and relationship building, not just between governing bodies and private stakeholders, but with residents and tourists, should be prioritized in destination management and marketing strategies. In the end, the author proposes that this type of strategy is vital in order to move toward greater cultural, environmental, social, economic, and other kinds of sustainability in the tourism industry.