Mobility Acceptance Factors of an Automated Shuttle Bus Last-Mile Service

Ralf-Martin Soe and Jaanus Müür
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Ralf-Martin Soe: FinEst Twins Smart City Center of Excellence, Tallinn University of Technology, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
Jaanus Müür: Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance, Tallinn University of Technology, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 13, 1-18

Abstract: The main interest of this paper is to analyze the mobility acceptance factors of an automated shuttle bus last-mile service. There is limited research on the passengers’ perception of security and safety of automated mobility, whereas prior research is mostly based on surveys interested in attitudes towards self-driving vehicles, without being linked to the experience. We, on the other hand, are interested in passengers’ feeling of security and safety, after taking a ride with an automated shuttle in an open urban environment. For studying this, we conducted an automated shuttle bus last-mile pilot during a four-month period in the city of Tallinn in late 2019. The method is a case study focusing on one city with several tools for data collection applied (surveys, interviews, document analysis). The pilot, open and free for everybody, attracted approximately 4000 passengers, out of which 4% responded to the online feedback survey. For studying the operational capacity, we had a panel interview with operators of the shuttle service, in addition to analyzing daily operational log files. The results indicate that passengers’ perceived feeling of security and safety onboard was remarkably high, after taking a ride (and lower without a ride, in a different control group). The bus was operated only if operational capacity was secured, thus having significant downtime in service due to environment, technology and traffic-related factors.

Keywords: automated mobility; sustainable transportation; urban mobility; last-mile; passenger’s safety; passenger’s security; operational capacity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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