The Potential Use and Usefulness of Travel Time in Fully Automated Vehicles

Traditionally, travel time has been seen to provide a disutility, i.e. the time during travelling is a 'cost' to the traveller. Fully automated vehicles (FAVs) have the ability to free the driver of the driving task and thus allow her to engage in other worthwhile activities while riding the car. This can substantially lower the value of travel time saved and have transformative effect on how people travel. However there is little understanding about how travel time can be used and how worthwhile this time can be in FAVs. This paper fills this gap by conducting a questionnaire survey. Results show that users will likely engage in other non-driving activities while riding FAVs, and these differ by trip purposes (commute, business, leisure) and trip directions (outbound, return). The time spent travelling in FAVs is perceived to be more useful than in current modes. The interest in using FAVs is directly correlated with perceived usefulness of travel time in automated vehicles. There was strong similarity between intended activities in FAVs with current activities by primary car users in chauffeur driven cars, providing some validation to the stated intention responses. Results have important implications for policy making, time use and value of time research, and vehicle interior design.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADB10 Standing Committee on Traveler Behavior and Values.
• Authors:
  • Wadud, Zia
  • Huda, Fuad Yasin
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2018-1-7 to 2018-1-11
• Date: 2018

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 6p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Intelligent vehicles; Surveys; Travel behavior; Travel time
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01660351
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 18-01566
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 20 2018 9:28AM