Unveiling the role of COVID-19 and other factors in shaping attitudes and intentions to use AVs

This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public perceptions, attitudes, and intentions to adopt and use autonomous vehicles (AVs). It explores how and to what extent individual and household-related attributes, as well as built environment characteristics, travel behavior, and trip-making in the pre-, since-, and post-COVID eras explain the behavioral intention to use AVs for different kinds of trips. Results from a national panel survey of U.S. adults collected in the summer of 2020 reveal the presence of a variety of factors influencing respondents’ likelihood of using AVs for (i) some commute trips; and (ii) long-distance leisure trips. It is interesting to note that different factors influence the usage of emerging technologies for these two trip types. While COVID-19-related factors had a very significant influence on how AVs would be used for commute trips, the same level of influence was not observed for long-distance leisure trips.

 Ordered probit model estimation results indicate that males were more likely to use AVs for some commutes than their female counterparts. White respondents expressed greater skepticism over the use of AVs for commuting. Gender and race/ethnicity effects were not observed for AV usage for leisure. Younger respondents (Gen-Zs, Millennials, and Gen-X-ers) expressed a greater likelihood of using AVs for commutes and leisure (than their older counterparts) while those that were farther behind on the technology adoption spectrum were less likely to embrace these modes for these trips. From a built environment perspective, homeowners as well as those who lived in single-family detached housing were less likely to adopt AVs for both commute and leisure – an indication perhaps, of their suburban lifestyles, and their entrenchment to the driving culture – a fact that has been captured aplenty in prior literature. Several travel behavioral aspects were investigated in this study. For instance, prior history of using public transportation or rideshare – frequently or infrequently – had a positive impact on respondents' likelihood of using AVs for commute. Similarly, living in a large city, pre-, or since COVID, had a positive influence on using AVs for commuting and leisure. On the other hand, respondents who did not use these alternative transportation modes (either due to the lack of availability or the choice of not using them) were less likely to want to use AVs for any trips. These are interesting findings and provide hope for the potential of having several different business models for AV operations (beyond the conventional personal ownership) which could be in demand in dense, urban areas or between neighboring urban clusters.

Lastly, our study reveals that familiarity and exposure to autonomous vehicle technology a key ingredients for the future of emerging transportation technologies such as these and other modes. Lack of exposure and/or experience was seen to be a deterrent to respondents’ likelihood of using AVs for these trips.