Towards inclusive and accessible autonomous buses: verifying and addressing user adoption barriers

Purpose and goal

The project aims to verify and address three key barriers to autonomous public transport: technological discomfort, sharing anxiety, and authority vacuum. Through real-world use during the “Autonom buss i Gårda” pilot, it will develop and test solutions in collaboration with Västtrafik and others. The goal is to promote more inclusive and accessible autonomous public transport.

Expected effects and result

The project will generate concrete insights into how adoption barriers affect different user groups and how they can be addressed through targeted solutions. These results will be packaged into a toolkit and disseminated to researchers and industry stakeholders. In the long term, the project is expected to support increased use and acceptance of autonomous public transport, especially among vulnerable groups.

Planned approach and implementation

The project consists of three phases: (1) data collection and analysis of user attitudes and experiences across stages of the Gårda pilot, (2) development, testing, and refinement of solutions via design workshops and demonstrations, and (3) packaging and dissemination of results through K2 and industry channels. RISE leads the project in close collaboration with Västtrafik, VGR, and K2.