Public Views on Connected Autonomous Vehicles - A Multi-Method Study: Qualitative Activities Report

Abstract:

Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) may be key to reducing carbon emissions from land travel. Transport emissions are flatlining but not coming down, and AVs are seen as a techno-fix. This working paper reveals that the priorities of people around autonomous vehicles differ from those of policy-makers and developers. The Institute for Transport Studies at University of Leeds have been researching public views of CAVs. In particular, we explored views of privately-owned and shared CAVs, as the highest carbon reduction benefits of CAVs arise from their being shared. Shared vehicles can transport many more people throughout the day, requiring a smaller vehicle fleet. The latter can include ‘taxis’, car clubs, and public transport modes. This research used three investigative methods to gather information, being: a choice experiment, deliberations, and a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) exercise. This Working Paper shares their qualitative work package. The findings appear to offer support for shared CAVs over privately-owned modes. For policy-makers, there are warnings that people do not really understand CAVs, and that people want the inequalities of current transport systems to be avoided in the future.

Publication Year:

2025

Publisher:

UKERC

DOI:

No DOI minted

Author(s):

Cass, N., Brown, L., Nelson, T., Bhaduri, E., Anable, J. and Wadud, Z.