Automated Vehicles: Use, Share, Own? Young Adults’ Perceptions of Automated Vehicles

Abstract

Automated Vehicles (AVs) will change the transportation landscape in still-uncertain ways. The timeline for this change depends not just on the pace of technological advancement, but also on public attitudes about AVs. These attitudes include perceptions of safety and tolerance of new vehicle ownership structures that will likely emerge when and if fully self-driving models are available. This study aims to determine the extent to which young people are open to using AVs and forgoing ownership of conventional personal vehicles in favor of AV-based shared mobility. With the potential for widespread AV deployment in the near term, the perspectives of this age group are important for understanding the impacts of AVs on the mobility landscape. An online survey was distributed through professional networks across the country in early 2020 to gauge comfort levels in riding in AVs, relying on shared mobility, and owning an AV. Univariate and bivariate chi-square tests were performed to test the correlation between explanatory variables and perceptions of AVs. The responses revealed ambivalence toward AVs. Significant relationships indicate that gender identity and urbanicity matter when it comes to willingness to use AVs and shared mobility. Results also show that young adults may not be as ready for AVs as some have hypothesized. The results of this study help address gaps in AV perception research and gauge current attitudes of young adults toward a future of transportation that includes connected and automated vehicles.