Perceived Crime Risk in Driverless Public Transport: Comparative Study in Three Asian Countries

Driverless autonomous vehicle technologies have the potential to significantly improve the traffic safety, efficiency, and economy of public transportation systems. In the near future, they are expected to be applied to public transportation, such as public buses, taxis (including ride-pooling services). However, users’ concerns regarding in-vehicle security, particularly crime concerns, can influence their willingness to use such driverless vehicles. In the context of public buses and ride-pooling services, users’ crime concerns (i.e., perceived risks of crime occurrence and victimization) are particularly relevant, as unspecified, and many passengers share them. In addition, the absence of a driver in the autonomous modes of public services may further amplify these concerns. Therefore, it is essential for authorities and vehicle manufacturers to understand the user’s acceptance of driverless public buses and ride-pooling services from the security perspective and various factors potentially affecting their perceived risks of crime occurrence and victimization.

To achieve the objectives, the study gathers questionnaire-based responses from three countries, China, Pakistan, and India, to provide a more holistic view of the users’ security-related concerns that may shape the future of driverless public transportation. Descriptive analysis of the data from these countries reveals that users perceive higher crime risks and more reluctance to use the driverless modes of public buses and ride-hailing services compared to human-driven ones. Modeling results revealed that, across the three countries, users’ perceived risks of crime occurrence and victimization, and willingness to use the driverless public buses and ride-pooling services vary significantly among different socio-demographic cohorts, emphasizing the role of factors, including age, gender, education, and income, in shaping users’ attitudes towards these technologies. Moreover, the results indicate that, in the three countries, the absence of a driver and security measures (i.e., security officer/conductor and CCTV/emergency buttons) amplified users’ concerns, emphasizing the need for proactive safety measures in driverless modes of public transportation. Finally, the findings suggest that travel characteristics (i.e., mode, time, and travel distance) influence users’ perceived risks of crimes, and willingness to adopt the driverless modes.

The study’s findings underscore the importance of users’ security concerns regarding the driverless modes of public transportation. The study also suggests various policies, such as the presence of security officers and equipment, adopting female-only transit units, well-defined standard operating procedures for driverless modes. Insights and policy suggestions are expected to guide vehicle manufacturers, operators, and governments in devising effective strategies to mitigate users’ crime concerns, promoting the acceptance of driverless public buses and ride-pooling services in a secure and trusted environment in various regions.