Perceptions of autonomous vehicles: Relationships with road users, risk, gender and age

Hulse, Lynn; Xie, Hui; Galea, Edwin R. · 2017 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2017.10.001

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Summary

This study investigates public perceptions of autonomous vehicles (AVs), addressing a gap in existing literature that predominantly focuses on potential passengers while neglecting other road users, such as pedestrians. The research aims to determine how perceptions of AV safety and acceptance vary based on the observer’s role (passenger vs. pedestrian), demographic factors (gender, age), and individual risk-taking propensity. The study also compares perceptions of AVs against existing human-operated and autonomous transport modes, such as trains and cars, to contextualize public attitudes. The researchers conducted an online survey of 925 UK residents, weighted to reflect national demographic proportions. Participants rated their perceived risk of collision and injury across various scenarios, including operating or riding in human-operated cars, motorcycles, and bicycles, and traveling as passengers in human-operated or autonomous cars and trains. They also assessed risk as pedestrians in areas with human-operated versus autonomous traffic. Additionally, participants reported their likelihood of engaging in risky road user behaviors and selected statements summarizing their general attitude toward AVs on public roads. Statistical analyses examined relationships between these variables and demographic characteristics. Results indicated that AVs were generally perceived as a “somewhat low risk” form of transport, with little overall opposition to their use. However, risk perceptions differed significantly by perspective: participants viewed AVs as more risky than human-operated cars when acting as passengers, but less risky when acting as pedestrians. Females consistently perceived higher risks across all vehicle types and roles compared to males. Younger adults and those with lower risk-taking propensities also perceived greater risks in most scenarios, except when evaluating AVs as passengers or pedestrians, where age and risk-taking had no significant effect. Regarding general attitudes, 19% of participants were positive, 18% conditionally positive, and 24% uncertain, while only 10% expressed opposition. Males and younger adults showed greater acceptance of AVs. The findings suggest that while public acceptance of AVs is generally favorable, perceptions are nuanced and dependent on the user’s role and demographic profile. The higher acceptance among males and younger adults—groups historically associated with higher risky driving behaviors—implies that AV adoption could potentially improve road safety by removing human error from high-risk drivers. However, the study cautions against premature conclusions, noting that risk-taking traits did not uniformly predict acceptance. The authors recommend future research continue to examine multiple road user perspectives and individual characteristics to better understand societal integration of autonomous technology.

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Topics

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• acceptance adoption
• sex gender
• risk taking
• decision making risk perception
• passenger effects

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: self report data, observational prevalence