To avoid the worst of these traffic scenarios, policy needs to be deployed with an eye towards minimizing the added miles and the demand for situations involving zero-occupant vehicles.

When it comes down to it, the demand guiding AV impacts is a hybrid of a person’s choice, as in their decision to initiate the trip, and the self-driving technology itself. Both together could be regarded as the typical “commuter” of modern TDM thinking. Whereas traditional TDM focuses on commuter choices, AV TDM might address the ways in which the AV technology is employed and how those cars carry passengers.  In short, policymakers should adapt transportation demand management principles to autonomous vehicles, using a mix of incentives and disincentives to guide choices.