Societal Readiness Levels for Autonomous Vehicles
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB - RISE ICT Viktoria |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 6 548 800 |
| Project duration | November 2018 - December 2023 |
| Status | Completed |
Purpose and goal
With the assumption that automated vehicles require shared mobility to contribute to more sustainable and equitable transportation systems, the project investigated which factors affect the adoption of shared autonomous vehicles when introduced as part of public transit, and developed an index highlighting factors influencing readiness forSAVs at macro-, meso-, and micro-levels, i.e., from global to individual factors. The final version will be presented later in 2024 in conjunction with the defense of the main researcher’s doctoral thesis defence.
Expected results and effects
Research revealed ´sharing anxiety´ and ´authority vacuum´ as obstacles to AV adoption. Willingness to use public transit and shared mobility correlates with openness to AVs and APT. Key factors affecting AV adoption include digital skills, safety perceptions, infrastructure investment, and regulatory environments. Exposure to AV technology boosts APT willingness, but effects decrease over time.
Planned approach and implementation
The project´s data collection approach included literature reviews and observations, policy documents, focus groups, and interviews in Sweden and Australia, as well as a Delphi study with international experts. However, the primary method of data collection was questionnaires, including a two-round questionnaire study with potential users in Sweden, which yielded over 1900 unique responses on attitudes towards carpooling, automated vehicles, and SAVs. The project involved several analysis methods, such as regression analysis, decision tree analysis, and thematic coding.