The autonomous vehicle – savior or infernal machine? Exploring the user perspective

With a focus on the perspective of expected individual benefits from automated driving the contribution presents (i) a detailed overview on the current international state of knowledge: What are the user expectations and attitudes? Can we already see particular ‘groups’ of users on the pro or on the contra side? How do people think of themselves ‘driving in an autonomous car’? The results will be synthesized and (ii) be reflected by using empirical research results from a survey held in Germany in 2014 with a sample size of 1,000 persons. Within this quantitative survey the authors applied a mix of methods to deal with the challenge that is linked to the examination of users who lack direct experience with the topic in question. The focus will be on three particular issues: (1) attitudes and expectations towards autonomous vehicles, and (2) attitudes and expectations of the group of impaired people towards autonomous vehicles, (3) expected time use while driving in an autonomous car, also compared to today’s time use while riding a bus or a train. The authors conclude (iii) with a discussion which approaches and methods could and should be used to better understand expectations – and retentions – towards the autonomous vehicle from a (potential) user perspective