https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2026.104676

As autonomous ride-hailing (ARH) services such as Waymo and Tesla’s Cybercab become more widespread, their pricing strategies will play an important role in shaping urban travel. This study examines how ARH pricing influences travelers’ choices between ride-hailing and public transit, and the resulting impacts on travel efficiency, emissions, and equity.

We find that lower ARH prices increase the use of ride-hailing as a first- and last-mile connection to metro and reduce travel time and cost. However, cheaper ARH also substitutes for more long-distance metro trips, leading to higher ride-hailing-related emissions. These results highlight the importance of carefully designed ARH pricing policies to balance efficiency, sustainability, and equity.