Automated Vehicles at Unsignalized Intersections: Safety and Efficiency Implications of Mixed Human and Automated Traffic

The integration of automated vehicles (AVs) into transportation systems presents an unprecedented opportunity to enhance road safety and efficiency. However, understanding the interactions between AVs and human-driven vehicles (HVs) at intersections remains an open research question. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining behavioral differences and adaptations of AVs and HVs at unsignalized intersections by utilizing two large-scale AV datasets from Waymo and Lyft. By using a systematic methodology, the research identifies and analyzes merging and crossing conflicts by calculating key safety and efficiency metrics, including time to collision, post-encroachment time, maximum required deceleration, time advantage, and speed and acceleration profiles. Through this approach, the study assesses the safety and efficiency implications of these behavioral differences and adaptations for mixed-autonomy traffic. The findings reveal a paradox: while AVs maintain larger safety margins, their conservative behavior can lead to unexpected situations for human drivers, potentially causing unsafe conditions. From a performance point of view, human drivers tend to exhibit more consistent behavior when interacting with AVs versus other HVs, suggesting AVs may contribute to harmonizing traffic flow patterns. Moreover, notable differences were observed between Waymo and Lyft vehicles, which highlights the importance of considering manufacturer-specific AV behaviors in traffic modeling and management strategies for the safe integration of AVs. The processed dataset, as well as the developed algorithms and scripts, are openly published to foster research on AV–HV interactions.