What Drives Acceptance for Autonomous Driving?

An interview with mobility researcher PD Dr Martin Kagerbauer

PD Dr.-Ing. Martin Kagerbauer researches new mobility concepts and mobility behavior at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). He supports our ALIKE project, in which we, together with Hamburger Hochbahn and other partners, test autonomous driving in Hamburg. Kagerbauer focuses on studying acceptance communication and the mobility behavior of potential users.

In this interview, he discusses developments over the past ten years, the importance of time, cost, and convenience in transportation choices, and the opportunities autonomous driving offers, particularly for public transportation.

Dr. Kagerbauer, you have been researching mobility concepts and mobility behavior for years. How have these changed over the past decade?

There is indeed a trend of people using cars less and public transportation more. Cycling has also increased. However, people's mobility behavior changes very slowly. This is partly due to the availability of transport options and external factors like cost, convenience, and travel time. Personal attitudes and preferences also influence the choice of transport.

Do you observe any specific factor that significantly influences mobility behavior?

No, it's more of a mix of many factors, which makes analysis quite challenging. Of course, time plays a bigger role, while cost is slightly less significant. Many factors are situational, such as transporting luggage or accompanying a child. Familiar transport modes are typically used more often than unfamiliar ones. And if a transport option offers no perceived "benefit," it is unlikely to be used.

What role does the mobility transition play in the choice of transport?

Many people recognize the necessity of a mobility transition, especially for environmental reasons. But the gap between awareness and action remains significant. For example, consider air travel: we all know flying isn't great for the environment, yet passenger numbers are rising. Even considering the pandemic, we're back to pre-COVID levels. It seems people talk about environmental protection but quickly forget it in practice. Breaking routines requires alternative options that are both well-known and attractive. Creating these conditions takes time.

You research autonomous ridepooling. How do users perceive this technology?

Overall, attitudes toward autonomous technology are very positive. If the technology works seamlessly, it's essential to give people the opportunity to experience it firsthand. Once everything runs smoothly, people will be enthusiastic, leading to rapid adoption due to the many advantages of autonomous driving. I’ve noticed significant improvements in the technology over the past two years. If this pace continues, we’ll see the first applications relatively soon.

Will public transportation benefit from autonomous driving?

Absolutely, especially in the initial phase. We’ve studied how traffic volumes and performance would change if all vehicles operated autonomously. The results show that individual traffic would increase. When we look at our current transportation systems, we see that capacity limits have already been reached—this is counterproductive.

Sharing services that facilitate ride-sharing positively impact sustainable transportation systems by reducing the number of vehicles on the road while maintaining mobility levels. I believe autonomous driving will significantly impact public transport, especially outside metropolitan areas, such as suburbs and rural regions. It will provide alternatives to cars and influence people’s mobility behavior.

As part of the ALIKE project*, MOIA and Hamburger Hochbahn are testing autonomous driving in Hamburg with your support. Your focus is on studying acceptance and mobility behavior among potential users. What are your expectations for the project?

I expect that we will inspire people to embrace autonomous driving and that our research will contribute accordingly. We analyze existing barriers to help overcome them, aiming to establish autonomous driving as a cornerstone of future mobility. Through the ALIKE project, we want to demonstrate that the driving experience—with or without a driver—makes no difference and that autonomous driving can be applied in many scenarios, especially in public transportation.

About:

PD Dr.-Ing. Martin Kagerbauer is a mobility researcher at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). His research areas and interests include new mobility concepts, mobility behavior data collection, microscopic modeling of transportation demand in passenger transport, as well as mobility research and forecasting in passenger transport. Since 2018, he has been a member of the institute's leadership team. Additionally, he serves as Managing Director at the planning and consulting firm INOVAPLAN in a part-time role.

*Funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) as part of the “Autonomous and connected driving in public transport” funding guideline (ALIKE). Learn more about ALIKE here.