Autonomous vehicles: who will use them, and will they share?. Issue 4 (18th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Clayton, William; Paddeu, Daniela; Parkhurst, Graham; Parkin, John
• Is Part Of: Transportation planning and technology. Volume 43:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 343
• Page End: 364
• Publication Date: 2020-05-18
• Subjects: Transport -- autonomous vehicles -- AV -- shared mobility -- willingness to use -- willingness to share; Transportation -- Periodicals; Transportation -- Research -- Periodicals; Local transit -- Periodicals; Transportation and state -- Periodicals; 388
• DOI: 10.1080/03081060.2020.1747200
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0308-1060

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The advent of road transport automation is suggested to be one of four key technological transitions that could amount to a major transformation in mobility practices. Specifically, fully Automated Vehicles (AVs) might replace the current private car owner user model with fleets of on-demand synchronously-shared automated taxis. However, significant barriers to this vision becoming the norm remain. This paper examines two critical user-acceptance aspects of the transition: willingness to adopt AVs, and willingness to share an AV with others, particularly strangers. Our novel survey ( n = 899) included a choice experiment featuring four future full automation transport services (private, synchronously/asynchronously shared, and public). Cluster analysis examined respondents' preferences and their demographic and psycho-social characteristics. We uncover significant uncertainty about willingness to adopt automation and sharing, and important differences between clusters within our sample. For example, under 50% of participants report willingness to use an AV over their normal mode, or would prefer an automated option to a current human-driven option. Our findings raise critical questions for policymakers and transport authorities. Not least, how can AV technologies help realise the environmental and social benefits of widespread vehicle sharing in a context of a travelling public that still prefers its privacy on-the-move?