Foreword Over thousands of years transport has always connected people and expanded their access to opportunities, consistently growing economies and advancing societies. Within that ongoing evolution, autonomous vehicles (AVs) represent one of transport’s most anticipated developments, offering the potential to improve road safety, enhance logistics and enable new mobility services. There are, however, significant technological, regulatory and operational challenges to realizing those benefits. AVs must also be carefully integrated into existing transport ecosystems as mixed traffic conditions will create complexities for years to come. It is crucial that the sector’s stakeholders can base informed decisions on realistic expectations, yet predictions about the deployment timeline for autonomous vehicles have tended to be overly optimistic. While vehicle automation technology has advanced considerably, its large-scale integration will take longer than most have anticipated. This white paper aims to provide a more grounded perspective on the adoption timeline, addressing three key use cases of vehicle autonomy between 2025 and 2035: personal vehicles, robotaxis and autonomous trucks. It strives to answer some of the key questions of policymakers, business leaders and the public about these evolving technologies.The timeline for adopting these innovations has wide societal implications beyond transport planning, and addressing these challenges at an early stage is essential to a successful rollout. For example, many workers may struggle to adapt to changing job requirements. An accurate timeline can help decision-makers better prepare workforce reskilling programmes. Data privacy and cybersecurity must also be prioritized; autonomous vehicles gather vast amounts of real-time and, to some extent, sensitive data, about what is happening in the vehicle and its surroundings. Equitable access to vehicle automation technology is critical, too: AV development must enable more holistic and inclusive mobility systems instead of exacerbating existing transport inequalities. Widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles will remain slow, but the decisions made today will shape how this technology integrates into society tomorrow. Governments, industry leaders and civil society need to collaborate to ensure that societal needs are met and that autonomous vehicles contribute to a more efficient, sustainable and inclusive mobility landscape.Jeremy Jurgens Managing Director, World Economic ForumNikolaus Lang Managing Director and Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group Autonomous Vehicles: Timeline and Roadmap Ahead April 2025 Autonomous Vehicles: Timeline and Roadmap Ahead 3

Autonomous Vehicles 2025