Users’ Transport Mode Choices in the Autonomous Vehicle Age in Urban Areas

Abstract

Travelers choose transport modes on the basis of their preferences in which the features onboard vehicles affect the choice of transport modes. In economic theory, it is found that travelers seek to maximize their travel utilities. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are to be on the market when machines will replace human drivers. AVs are to be used for different purposes, such as transporting passengers and goods. In literature, some research studied AVs in combination with other transport modes, whereas fewer studies have considered the impact of a camera onboard carsharing and privately shared autonomous vehicles (PSAVs) on traveler choices. This research was developed to predict the impact of traveler preferences on the availability of PSAV and carsharing considering certain variables, such as travel time, travel cost, waiting/walking time, and the availability of camera onboard (i.e., as an indication of comfort and privacy factors). A stated preference (SP) survey was designed in which sociodemographic and travel variables were included. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was designed and included in the SP survey. The SP survey was distributed in Budapest, Hungary, where 313 respondents were collected. The discrete choice modeling approach is used, in which the multinomial logit (MNL) model was applied in developing a transport mode choice model. The developed model estimated the impact of different variables on transport modes as well as the willingness of travelers to use carsharing and PSAVs. The model explained the effects of trip length, income, gender, education, occupation, frequent current transport mode, and trip purpose on travelers’ selection of transport mode. In conclusion, it demonstrated that people tend to use carsharing more than PSAVs, and the availability of cameras onboard decreases the probability of using a transport mode.