Last week we published the first set of data from user research we conducted as part of Project Endeavour. Baseline data from 2019 highlighted several important trends and themes, for example public perceptions of public transport, and the perceived barriers to using autonomous vehicles in the future. More detail on these findings can be found in our previous blog.

In this blog we will explore some of the gaps we’ve identified from a literature review of academic research, and from our phase 1 survey in 2019. Over the coming months DG Cities will be conducting more user research which will look even closer at the attitudes and perceptions of the general public towards autonomous vehicles.

During the next stage of research, we hope to answer 3 key questions:

Has COVID-19 shifted perceptions and attitudes away from autonomous vehicle ridesharing?

A concern for many is the long-term impact of COVID-19 on public perceptions and travel behaviours. For much of 2020 the UK has been under advice to socially distance, and where possible limit travel, particularly via public/shared modes. This has of course been the right thing to do to limit the impact of the pandemic, but the ramifications of this over the long-term could be a shift away from public transport or shared services towards private vehicle use. This could be hugely damaging to UK authorities looking to curb emissions.

Using the data from our 2019 survey we do know that there is some interest in autonomous vehicle ride sharing services, with just under half of survey respondents (48%) saying they’d happily use such a service in the future. We also know that the main barriers to using these services include lack of knowledge of what to do in an emergency (63%) and perceptions that sharing services with strangers could be unsafe (53%). What we don’t know is how these perceptions could shift due to COVID-19 and the subsequent restrictions. It is expected that cleanliness in particular is likely to rise in importance for the public post COVID-19. Could the public turn away from ride-sharing as a potential service? It's too early to say, but we know that travel behaviour change can take a long time to occur, particularly with regards to habitual behaviour - so this will be something to watch.  With Project Endeavour, we have a unique opportunity to track any attitudinal changes pre and post pandemic.

What will the service models of the future look like?

The data in our 2019 survey highlighted there are specific needs that AV ride-sharing services will need to cater for, for example ensuring that pick-up and drop-off is within 5 minutes walking distance for users. But what we don’t know yet is what type of physical or digital services ride-sharing passengers will require. This is particularly important when thinking about safety, security and accessibility, which we know are important characteristics when users consider selecting a service.

Do perceptions and attitudes towards autonomous vehicles differ across demographic groups, and how can different needs be taken into account?

One of the challenges we faced in the 2019 survey of public perceptions was the lack of diversity in respondents. Data in that survey was slightly skewed towards men, younger people, and white people. We don't yet have enough data to be able to understand if and how perceptions of autonomous ride sharing services differ between sociodemographic groups.

This is important because if we’re to develop services that cater to all parts of society we must take into account the views and perspectives of all people. Technologies, particularly those which are designed around the needs of users, must be built by working with different groups right from the beginning. This is why during the next phase of Project Endeavour user research we will extensively survey a diverse sample of the UK population, and invite interested participants to join us in online focus groups throughout 2021.

We’re excited to be continuing to engage the public in designing the transport services of the future. If you’re keen to participate  in the next piece of Project Endeavour research just register your details or send an email to [email protected].

If you’re interested in learning more about the findings of the survey, take a look at the final survey report.