Travel-based multitasking behaviour and autonomous vehicle design

Travel-based multitasking is the act of performing activities while travelling, for productive or leisure purposes,. The execution of these activities can be carried out either concurrently or successively. A substantial number of studies have been conducted on public transit travellers to determine their travel-based multitasking behaviour, yet little has been done on drivers. This then emphasises on the need to provide greater insights on the travel-based multitasking behaviour of the drivers’ group. The progressive evolution of the internet has led to proliferation of electronic devices and in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems. This suggests that a greater variety of activities related to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has been made available and accessible for multitasking choices. In addition, the multitasking activities conducted by drivers can serve as guidance to devise the interior environment of autonomous vehicle (AVs). The proposed interior designs of AVs consist of two types: productive and leisure. The design of in-vehicle environment should take into consideration the most favoured multitasking activities performed by drivers since it should complement the facilitation of these activities. In this manner, the in-vehicle travel experience can be assumed to be more enriching. Nevertheless, the speed at which the technology will be adopted and embraced depends on the feelings and attitudes of people. The importance of investigating the attitudes towards AVs is thus established. In this study, several key findings are reported. Firstly, the most popular in-vehicle activity group conducted by the survey respondents (drivers) was found to be social. Comparison of the most popular multitasking activities was made between passengers and drivers, in which a difference was recognised. Secondly, the investigation of behavioural motivations using theory of interpersonal behaviour (TIB) and theory of planned behaviour (TPB) reported significant effects of attitude, intention and habit on travel-based multitasking behaviour. ‘Penalty’ and ‘self-concept’ were also found to be significant in explaining the aforementioned behaviour. Lastly, majority of the survey respondents showed positive attitudes towards AVs, implying a high level of acceptance and potentially quick adoption of AVs. On the whole, the present study provides a good basis in the exploration of drivers’ travel-based multitasking behaviour and their attitudinal effects of AVs.Bachelor of Engineering (Civil