A summary of proceedings, lessons learned, conclusions, and next steps from the Mobility COE–UCLA Anderson AMR “Business Models for V2X” project, completed on May 31, 2025, outlining scalable paths to deployment.
Cities would need to facilitate a multi-modal mobility platform, which provides travelers with a range of flexible mobility options, such as fixed-route or flex-route public transit, micro-transit, ride-sharing, car rentals, bike-sharing, scooters, and walking routes, some of which can be potentially served by automated vehicles. Those options altogether have potential to help residents reach businesses, employment, health care and other essential points of interest. This research acquires mobility service data to understand travel behavior in choosing mobility options, optimize design of such a platform by optimally placing mobility hubs with multiple mobility options, with the ultimate goals of improving system efficiency, increasing ridership, reducing system cost and enhancing travel safety.
Scalable Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) solutions are essential for enhancing road safety and traffic efficiency in our communities. This project investigates scalable V2X options by considering global advancements and varied technological ecosystems, utilizing all forms of V2X connectivity—including Cellular V2X (C-V2X), Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), and cellular networks—with Los Angeles serving as a case study. Currently, there's no comprehensive plan to implement these advanced vehicle communication technologies. Our aim is to develop a strategic plan to deploy V2X technology in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, improving safety, reducing traffic congestion, and preparing for major events like the 2028 Olympic Games. By engaging with various stakeholders and building a practical plan, we hope to create a reference that can inform future deployments by Caltrans or other cities across the U.S.
Public agencies and state and local governments often impose various regulations on shared mobility services. These regulations vary widely by place and mode, and the costs and benefits of these regulations are poorly understood. This project aims to categorize shared mobility regulations, identify their intents and impacts, and to better understand the balance of regulations.
Autonomous vehicles, both individual and shared shuttles, offer significant mobility benefits, especially for users who lack use of a personal vehicle. However, there are barriers towards emulating the key parts of human-driven shared ride services, such as efficient rendezvous and good curb location selection. Human drivers solve these problems with limited impact on operational cost and safety, but autonomous vehicles struggle with this poorly defined, yet critical step. We seek to address these barriers by characterizing effective and user-focused rendezvous strategies, thereby helping decisionmakers and service providers improve service, enhance safety, and lower operational cost.
A key problem in urban mobility is determining the most effective and sustainable approach to shared mobility. This research addresses the challenge of evaluating the comparative effectiveness of community-based, market-based, and public-private partnership (P3) models in achieving urban mobility goals.
Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology holds immense promise for boosting transport efficiency and safety, yet adoption remains stalled by steep infrastructure costs, fragmented standards, and misaligned OEM incentives. To overcome these barriers, the Mobility Center of Excellence teamed up with the UCLA Anderson School of Business AMR (Applied Management Research) program—engaging MBA students as part of their capstone projects—to explore holistic, sustainable business models that align industry profitability with broad societal benefits. The resulting Business Models for V2X project culminates in a published report and video presentation, offering clear, actionable roadmap alternatives for driving widespread V2X deployment.
The successful deployment of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) and new mobility solutions in cities like Los Angeles and Austin faces challenges due to the interplay of rapid technological change, diverse stakeholder interests, and unique local contexts. Without coordinated planning and collaboration, these efforts risk: - Fragmented deployments leading to inefficient operations, incompatible technologies, and missed opportunities to maximize benefits. - Safety and regulatory gaps where first responders, policymakers, and the public lack clear standards, certification processes, and communication protocols. - Infrastructure misalignments as AVs struggle with temporary traffic controls, construction zones, and emergency scenarios. - Limited data sharing and digital infrastructure that hinder collaboration, transparency, and interoperability across city and industry systems. - Broader urban impacts such as unforeseen consequences for land use, congestion, accessibility, public transit investment, and community acceptance. This project addresses these issues by bringing together government agencies, industry leaders, and researchers to establish shared standards, advance digital infrastructure, and develop collaborative strategies for safe, inclusive, and context-sensitive AV deployment.
