Assessing the effect of autonomous driving on value of travel time savings: A comparison between current and future preferences

Due to digitalization trends and rapid technological development, cars are becoming more technologically advanced with an on-going trend towards fully automated vehicles. Understanding possible changes in user preferences and the impact on mobility of autonomous driving is of great importance for policy and transport planning authorities in light of urbanization trends, demographic change, and environmental challenges. Despite the relevance of the topic, there are limited empirical insights on user preferences, once autonomous driving becomes available. To close this gap and analyze the potential changes in the value of travel time savings (VTTS) resulting from the availability of autonomous driving, an online survey using revealed and stated preference methods was conducted. In the survey user preferences toward currently available and future available modes of transportation were assessed using two discrete choice experiments. VTTS calculations are based on an estimated joint mixed logit model. The results of the study show an average VTTS reduction of 41% for autonomous driving compared to driving a conventional car, however, only for commuting trips. For leisure or shopping trips, no significant changes in the VTTS were found. Considering shared autonomous vehicles (SAV), the results indicate that using SAV is perceived as a less attractive option than using a privately owned autonomous vehicle. Translating the results into policy implications, a potential conflict between individual benefits of autonomous driving and societal goals is identified. Finally, policy recommendations are discussed