Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Penmetsa, Praveena
• Adanu, Emmanuel Kofi
• Wood, Dustin
• Wang, Teng
• Jones, Steven L.

Titel

Perceptions and expectations of autonomous vehicles – A snapshot of vulnerable road user opinion

Ist Teil von

• Technological forecasting & social change, 2019-06, Vol.143, p.9-13

Ort / Verlag

New York: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2019

Quelle

PAIS Index

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Public perceptions play a crucial role in wider adoption of autonomous vehicles (AVs). This paper aims to make two contributions to the understanding of public attitudes toward AVs. First, we explore opinions regarding the perceived benefits and challenges of AVs among vulnerable road users – in particular, pedestrians and bicyclists. Second, the paper evaluated whether interaction experiences with AVs influence perceptions among vulnerable road users. To explore this, we examined survey data collected by Bike PGH, a Pittsburgh based organization involved in programs to promote safe mobility options for road users. Analysis of the data revealed that respondents with direct experience interacting with AVs reported significantly higher expectations of the safety benefits of the transition to AVs than respondents with no AV interaction experience. This finding did not differ across pedestrian and bicyclist respondents. The results of this study indicate that as the public increasingly interacts with AVs, their attitudes toward the technology are more likely to be positive. Thus, this study recommends that policy makers should provide the opportunities for the public to have interaction experience with AVs. The opportunities can be provided through legislation that allows auto manufacturers and technology industries to operate and test AVs on public roads. This interactive experience will positively affect people's perceptions and help in wider adoption of AV technology. •Public perceptions play a crucial role in wider adoption of autonomous vehicles (AVs).•As the public increasingly interacts with AVs, their attitudes toward the technology are more likely to be positive.•We recommend policy makers to pass legislation that will authorize testing and operation of AVs on public roads.•Interaction experience with AVs will positively affect people's perceptions and help in wider adoption of the technology.