Autonomous vehicles (AV) differ significantly from traditional passenger vehicles in both their behavior and physical characteristics. As such, the validity of the guidance provided in the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware, Second Edition (MASH 2016) is questionable in AV applications. Impact angles, speeds, and vehicle weights specified in MASH 2016 are inextricably linked to the traditional vehicles underlying the estimates. For AV applications, these parameters must be estimated from the ground up, stepping outside the guidance of MASH 2016. In this paper, a conservative method for evaluating existing infrastructure to support AV traffic is proposed. The method integrates traditional structural analyses with unconventional methods of estimating impact conditions. This methodology was developed for the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, who, when faced with unique challenges in maintaining and expanding their Automated Skyway Express, opted to convert the system from monorail to AV traffic. Leading AV developers were surveyed to develop a portfolio of potential candidates for the conversion. Estimated impact conditions were then compared against the capacity of the system’s existing concrete parapets. Ultimately, safe operating speeds for each AV candidate were recommended on the bases of structural capacity and vehicle stability. All but one AV candidate were deemed capable of safely operating at the desired speed of 25 mph without any modifications to the barrier. Although the methodology was developed for a particular case, it is applicable to future implementations of AVs on existing infrastructure, provided the roadway is confined similarly to the Skyway deck.

自动驾驶汽车（AV）的行为和物理特性与传统乘用车有很大不同。因此，《安全硬件评估手册》第二版中提供的指南的有效性（MASH 2016）在AV应用程序中存在疑问。MASH 2016中规定的碰撞角度，速度和车辆重量与估算所依据的传统车辆密不可分。对于视音频应用，必须从头开始估算这些参数，而不是MASH 2016的指导。在本文中，提出了一种评估现有基础结构以支持视音频流量的保守方法。该方法将传统的结构分析与非常规的评估冲击条件的方法相结合。这种方法是为杰克逊维尔运输局开发的，该局在维护和扩展其自动天桥特快车时面临独特的挑战时，选择将系统从单轨交通转换为视听交通。对领先的视音频开发人员进行了调查，以开发一系列潜在的转换候选人。然后将估计的冲击条件与系统现有混凝土护墙的能力进行比较。最终，基于结构能力和车辆稳定性，推荐了每位AV候选者的安全操作速度。除了一个防空洞候选人外，所有其他防空洞候选人都被认为能够以所需的25 mph的速度安全地操作，而无需对屏障进行任何修改。尽管该方法是针对特定情况开发的，但它适用于现有基础设施上的AV的未来实现，前提是巷道与Skyway甲板相似。根据结构能力和车辆稳定性，推荐了每位AV候选者的安全操作速度。除了一个防空洞候选人外，所有其他防空洞候选人都被认为能够以所需的25 mph的速度安全地操作，而无需对屏障进行任何修改。尽管该方法是针对特定情况开发的，但它适用于现有基础设施上的AV的未来实现，前提是巷道与Skyway甲板相似。根据结构能力和车辆稳定性，推荐了每位AV候选者的安全操作速度。除了一个防空洞候选人外，所有其他防空洞候选人都被认为能够以所需的25 mph的速度安全地操作，而无需对屏障进行任何修改。尽管该方法是针对特定情况开发的，但它适用于现有基础设施上的AV的未来实现，前提是巷道与Skyway甲板相似。