Governing beyond innovation: Exploring the impact of connected and automated vehicles on the organization of vehicle accident investigations

Abstract

Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) bring new risks and safety benefits to future road transport. This paper explores the impacts and consequences of CAVs on the organizational, governance and knowledge practices of vehicle accident investigation (VAI). A focus on these practices of VAI draws attention to its politics, a key aspect behind accident investigations that receives little attention. We do so through three lines of inquiry. First, we read the accident investigation and safety science literature to list the characteristics of a state-of-the-art ideal-typical VAI organization. Second, we draw from the literature to identify seven challenging characteristics from CAVs to existing VAI designs and practices: automation, mixed traffic, connectivity (including cyber security), data, regulatory gaps, safety culture and international connections. Lastly, we describe the current state of affairs of VAI in the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States, highlighting differences and commonalities. In the conclusion, we bring these lines of inquiry together, conclude that there is a need for further governance work on VAI and CAVs, and list several avenues of future study.