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Exploring the evolution of public acceptance towards autonomous vehicles with the level of knowledge

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Abstract

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) offer numerous advantages, including improved mobility, enhanced comfort, and a reduction in traffic accidents. However, the acceptance and adoption of AVs by the public depend on their attitudes towards this emerging technology. The relationship between public knowledge of AVs and their attitudes has been a topic of debate, with conflicting findings. This study aims to examine the correlation between public knowledge, and attitudes towards AVs in the USA. A questionnaire survey was conducted between June and November 2022, collecting 5778 complete responses from diverse regions across the USA. The collected data were analysed to assess the public’s attitudes and knowledge levels in different regions. The findings revealed a negative shift in public attitudes towards AVs as knowledge levels increased. Specifically, a 1% increase in knowledge corresponded to a 0.65% decrease in interest, a 0.68% decline in trust, a $2466 USD reduction in willingness to pay for AVs, and a 0.56% increase in concerns about traveling in AVs. Furthermore, additional analyses were performed to explore how the attitudes of various demographic groups evolve with varying levels of knowledge showing a consistent negative shift in the attitude with the increase in the level of knowledge for participants across the different demographic groups.

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Funding

No funding was received to assist with the preparation of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Civil Engineering Department, University of Toronto, 35 St George St, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A4, Canada

    Kareem Othman

  2. Public Works Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

    Kareem Othman

Authors
  1. Kareem Othman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kareem Othman.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Ethical approval

Ethical review and approval were waived for this study as the survey was conducted online and voluntarily.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Appendices

Appendix: Questionary survey

Section 1: introduction to the survey

We have designed this academic survey to gain insights into the general perspective on self-driving vehicles. Specifically, we are interested in understanding public opinions concerning fully autonomous cars. These vehicles operate without the need for a driver behind the wheel, and they may not even feature traditional controls like a steering wheel, gas pedal, or brake pedal, as depicted in the accompanying images.

The image displayed below showcases a self-driving vehicle that does not possess a steering wheel:

figure a

On the other hand, the image provided below illustrates a self-driving vehicle equipped with a steering wheel:

figure b

If you have any inquiries or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to reach out.

We sincerely appreciate your participation in this survey.

Section 2: demographic properties section

1. How would you characterize your gender identity?

  • Male

  • Female

  • Prefer not to say

  • Other (please specify)

2. What is your age?

  • 18–29

  • 30–44

  • 45–60

  • > 60

3. What is the combined annual income of your household?

  • Less than 25,000$

  • 25,000 to 50,000$

  • 50,000 to 100,000$

  • 100,000 to 200,000$

  • More than 200,000

4. What is the highest educational attainment you have achieved?

  • Lower than a bachelor’s degree

  • Bachelor’s degree

  • Master’s degree

  • Higher than master’s degree

5. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 indicating no prior knowledge and 5 indicating a high level of knowledge, how familiar are you with self-driving cars before participating in this survey?

  • 1

  • 2

  • 3

  • 4

  • 5

6. In which state or U.S. territory do you presently reside?

  • Dropdown list with all the US states

Section 3: public attitude section

1. Would you be receptive to the concept of using autonomous vehicles for transportation?

  • 1

  • 2

  • 3

  • 4

  • 5

2. Do you agree with the notion that autonomous vehicles can improve traffic safety when compared to traditional vehicles?

  • 1

  • 2

  • 3

  • 4

  • 5

3. How concerned would you be about riding in a self-driving car?

  • 1

  • 2

  • 3

  • 4

  • 5

4. What is the highest amount of additional money, in USD ($), that you would be willing to spend to own a self-driving vehicle? Please input 0 if you are not willing to pay extra for a self-driving car.

  • Add a value

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Othman, K. Exploring the evolution of public acceptance towards autonomous vehicles with the level of knowledge. Innov. Infrastruct. Solut. 8, 208 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-023-01180-z

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