Revolutionizing Our Roadways: Consumer Acceptance and Travel Behavior Impacts of Automated Vehicles
Self-driving vehicles have the potential to bring societal benefits, such as fewer traffic accidents, reduced fuel use and emissions, less congestion, and easier parking. The question is not if such vehicles will be on Texas roads but when. It could be as soon as 2016. Several auto manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers have already accomplished successful precursor tests on public roads. The objective of this study was to gather empirical evidence on consumer acceptance and adoption: the factors associated with intention to use, how that intention might influence mode choice and vehicle ownership decisions, and what all of this could mean for travel demand and congestion in the Austin region. The data were gathered through a two-step process: (1) An initial online survey of 556 residents of the Austin metropolitan area and (2) Follow-up, face-to-face interviews with 44 participants. Given that automation is a new technology, not yet on the market, extreme care was used to design the study language and content. In addition to the questionnaire, the study included a video to portray the self-driving technology in the online survey. The face-to-face interviews were used to gather information on potential travel behavior changes. The qualitative probing on such changes was deemed more reliable than survey data collection. The insights derived from this study will provide a first step in understanding how self-driving vehicles could affect Texans’ travel. This information begins to build an evidence base for policy makers and transportation agencies regarding future mobility requirements and congestion mitigation needs and, therefore, future infrastructure investment.
- Record URL:
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Corporate Authors:
Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Texas A&M University System
3135 TAMU
College Station, TX United States 77843-3135 -
Authors:
- Zmud, Johanna
- Sener, Ipek N
- Wagner, Jason
- Publication Date: 2016-4
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
- Pagination: 32p
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Attitudes; Automobile ownership; Consumers; Intelligent vehicles; Mode choice; Surveys; Travel behavior
- Geographic Terms: Austin (Texas)
- Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Vehicles and Equipment;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01600199
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: May 26 2016 9:21AM