Project Summary
Many challenges are yet to be addressed for automated driving systems and self-driving cars, which include public perception, liability issues, security, and control of the systems. The question of public perception is vital to determine the extent to which people will accept and pay for automated driving technologies. It will also define the public policies that can be aligned with technological trends to benefit road users. The objective of this project is to understand public perception of various Automated Driving Systems (ADS) and develop an acceptance model that can help understand users’ intentions to accept and use the automated driving technologies for various purposes. In this project, several modes of ADS, including super cruise, autopilot, and traffic jam pilot, car platooning and self-driving cars will be investigated. Technology acceptance model (TAM) will be utilized to study users’ perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), and intention of accepting and using ADS. Other factors such as availability, reliability, security and access, willingness to pay will also be included in the proposed TAM. This study will use a survey approach consisting of multiple phases. As a first phase, in-depth interviews will be conducted with current end-users of the ADS. Then, a questionnaire will be developed through interactions with expert panels consisting of academia, researchers, and public agency officials. The questionnaire will be captured and transformed into a second phase online survey, which will be administered to the public in the Bay Area.
