Consumer Perception and Intended Adoption of Autonomous-Vehicle Technology: Findings from a University Population Survey

Emerging automotive and transportation technologies, such as autonomous vehicles (AVs) have created revolutionary possibilities in the way we might travel in the future. Major car manufacturers and technology giants have demonstrated significant progress in advancing and testing AV technologies in real-life traffic conditions. Multivariate analysis of a university population survey conducted in April 2015 indicates that respondents perceived more productive use of travel time as the primary benefit with AVs, with the performance of the AV in unexpected traffic situations being the primary concern. It was also found that nearly half of the respondents (46%) were likely to use AVs when they become available. Simply looking at the demographic differences without regard to other factors such as consumers’ general travel characteristics, crash history, familiarity, and the perceptions might suggest that the demographic differences are the primary causal factors behind the differences observed in the intended adoption of AVs. This study investigates the role of demographics and other factors (current travel characteristics, crash history, and familiarity with AVs) on consumers’ perceptions and intended adoption of AVs with a view of disentangling one factor from the other. Results show that the observed demographic differences in intended adoption rates are due to demographic differences in the perceptions of the benefits and concerns with AVs. The study outcomes suggest that while demographic level interventions are necessary, it may be more beneficial to first address consumers’ perceptions of the benefits and concerns regarding AVs. The results from this study can be used to inform policy discussions relevant to future market penetration of AV technology.