By 2040, at least a fifth of the traffic on Interstate 80 in Iowa will be highly automated, a new Iowa Department of Transportation study says, and planners need to take into account the coming changes when preparing for the future.

The study, which is part of a larger DOT analysis aimed at positioning rural parts of I-80 for the future, says the higher levels of automation would mean increased capacity and fewer accidents.

"These technologies have the potential to really improve safety," said Brad Hofer, assistant director of the DOT's Office of Location and Environment, which was in charge of the study.

Automated vehicle technologies are under rapid development. And although driverless cars are far into the future, some experts say, the idea that a significant share of traffic along Iowa's main east-west highway would be highly automated in less than 25 years is striking.

"In the beginning, I think we were all taken aback by it," Hofer said. However, after discussions with industry sources and others, he thinks the prediction is "in the ballpark."

The DOT study, which was released last month, acknowledges that predicting the adoption of automated vehicle technologies is highly uncertain.