Current depictions of autonomous vehicle (AV) futures are produced primarily by automobile manufacturers that largely reflect and reinforce existing sociotechnical systems in a ‘business as usual’ model that frames this technology within a narrative of crisis and technological salvation. This article argues for a more complex analysis of AV futures in which images are understood as vessels for sociotechnical imaginaries that direct and delimit what we think is possible in the future. Through an analytical framework incorporating automobility, transitions, and imaginaries, I explore how depictions of AVs frame the technology as responding to various system pressures over time through a comparative analysis of two actors. The analysis suggests that regime actors deploy visual discursive material as a tool of regime stability or change to benefit their own agendas. The intention of the article is not to anticipate current trajectories but is a methodological exploration of how policymakers and planners can interpret AV visualisations. Therefore, the paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of these imaginaries for future transportation systems. It further suggests that policymakers and planners need to take a more active role in the development of AV futures by paying much more attention to the latent meanings behind AV visualisations and working collaboratively with those who produce them.

当前对自动驾驶汽车（AV）期货的描述主要是由汽车制造商生产的，这些汽车制造商以“一切照旧”的模式在很大程度上反映并加强了现有的社会技术系统，该模型将这种技术置于危机和技术拯救的叙述中。本文主张对视音频未来进行更复杂的分析，其中将图像理解为社会技术虚构的工具，这些虚拟技术指导并界定了我们认为未来可能发生的事情。通过一个结合了机动性，过渡性和虚构性的分析框架，我通过对两个参与者的比较分析，探讨了自动驾驶汽车的描绘如何将技术构架为对各种系统压力的响应。分析表明，政权参与者将视觉话语材料部署为政权稳定或变革的工具，以使他们自己的议程受益。本文的目的不是要预测当前的轨迹，而是对决策者和计划者如何解释AV可视化的方法学探索。因此，本文最后讨论了这些假想对未来运输系统的影响。它进一步表明，决策者和计划者需要在视听期货的发展中扮演更积极的角色，更多地关注视听可视化背后的潜在含义，并与制作它们的人们合作。本文的目的不是要预测当前的轨迹，而是对决策者和计划者如何解释AV可视化的方法学探索。因此，本文最后讨论了这些假想对未来运输系统的影响。它进一步表明，决策者和计划者需要在视听期货的发展中扮演更积极的角色，更多地关注视听可视化背后的潜在含义，并与制作它们的人们合作。本文的目的不是要预测当前的轨迹，而是对决策者和计划者如何解释AV可视化的方法学探索。因此，本文最后讨论了这些假想对未来运输系统的影响。它进一步表明，决策者和计划者需要在视听期货的发展中扮演更积极的角色，更多地关注视听可视化背后的潜在含义，并与制作它们的人们合作。