Measuring the Acceptability of Self-Balancing Two-Wheeled Personal Mobility Vehicles

Abstract

Many studies on the development, on-road compatibility, and market potential of personal mobility vehicles have been conducted in recent years. This study focuses on the social acceptability of personal mobility vehicles by the general public, which is a key factor in the future introduction and implementation of these vehicles. Using survey data collected from 124 respondents from the city of Toyota, this study empirically explores the attitudes of the general public toward self-balancing two-wheeled vehicles and differences in the public’s acceptance of such vehicles before and after using them. Potential uses of these vehicles include tourism and excursions, short-distance trips in downtown areas, and traversing within buildings. Causal relationships between the acceptability of self-balancing two-wheeled vehicles and attitudes toward various characteristics of these vehicles are also analyzed in this study. The empirical results indicate that attitudes toward self-balancing two-wheeled vehicles increase after using the vehicles. The causal relationships between the acceptability of and attitudes toward self-balancing two-wheeled vehicles are identified using structural equation modeling.