User acceptance of mixed-traffic autonomous shuttles in Gothenburg, Sweden

A user acceptance questionnaire study was carried out during the first phase of the Shared Shuttle Services (S3) pilot project in Gothenburg Sweden. Autonomous vehicles in the form of shuttle buses (AV shuttles) embody three major developments in transportation: mobility solutions that are electrified, shared, and automated. The adoption of these three developments is closely connected to the UN SDG (11) Sustainable cities and communities and in order to achieve any broader societal benefits, it is crucial to understand and address user acceptance and adoption of these services in real-life settings. The questionnaire included attitudinal and context specific questions, resulting in overall high ratings except for perceived speed and comfort. Still, the main reasons for not wanting to use the AV shuttle services could be linked to performance expectancy, route reasons and effort expectancy. Future implementations of AV shuttles will need to address this in order to expect any widespread adoption.