Sustainability of autonomous cars: Environmental, social, and economic insights from a systematic review

Abstract

Autonomous cars are increasingly promoted as transformative technologies for urban mobility, yet their sustainability implications remain contested. Existing studies often focus on isolated aspects like environmental, social, or economic implications without providing an integrated perspective. This study addresses this gap by systematically reviewing existing review papers on this topic through the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, 49 review articles published between 2009 and 2024 were identified, screened, and analysed. The results highlight that environmental benefits mainly stem from improved traffic efficiency, optimized driving behaviour, and reduced emissions, especially when combined with electrification. However, rebound effects, resource-intensive production, and unregulated usage may limit net gains. Socially, autonomous cars promise improved safety and greater mobility access for elderly and disabled populations, yet concerns about affordability, trust, labour displacement, and ethical dilemmas persist. Economically, they offer potential cost reductions, productivity gains, and new service models, but high capital costs, regulatory uncertainty, and limited evidence on long-term viability constrain widespread adoption. Overall, the TBL framework reveals strong synergies - such as shared autonomous cars enhancing both environmental and social outcomes - alongside trade-offs where benefits in one domain may create risks in another. The study concludes that the sustainability of these vehicles depends less on technological performance than on governance, deployment strategies, and societal acceptance. Future research should prioritize longitudinal analyses of pilot projects, cross-pillar trade-off assessments, and regionally grounded perspectives beyond high-income contexts.