Perceived security is crucial for the widespread adoption of shared automated vehicles (SAVs) and shuttle buses. However, there is currently no validated instrument to measure perceived security in this context, and little research has been done to determine the factors that contribute to perceived security. We propose the Perceived Security Scale for Shared Automated Vehicles (PSSAV), a questionnaire that assesses various aspects of perceived security in SAVs. The scale was evaluated using an exploratory, data-driven approach in a pilot study with 60 German participants, and a main study with 114 German and 101 Colombian participants experiencing a positive or negative ride in an automated shuttle bus (between-subjects design) presented as videos in an online study. The results suggest that trust, privacy, and control are key factors that influence security in the context of SAVs. The PSSAV questionnaire is reliable and sensitive to manipulation, indicating its construct validity.

The landscape of transportation is evolving, giving rise to novel mobility concepts such as automated shuttle buses which might become a commonplace mode of transportation in the next decades. However, the individual user’s and society’s acceptance of this new form of mobility requires finding solutions for basic human factor issues and a pivotal aspect of achieving this acceptance revolves around comprehending the decisions and behaviors of the automation. In this work, we aimed to explore passengers’ explanation needs within automated shuttle buses and derived strategies for delivering essential information effectively. To accomplish this, we conducted a user study involving N=16 participants. This study encompassed a brief driving simulation experiment that compared default explanations with on-demand explanations, followed by group discussions. Initial results revealed that default explanations, accessible on a shared screen visible to all passengers, emerged as the preferred method for receiving information. Moreover, participants expressed a preference for explanations to be provided solely in safety-critical or unusual situations. Additionally, our analysis underscored the psychological dynamics of group settings and the apprehension of potential judgment by peers as influential factors in participants’ evaluations of information concepts.

Automated Vehicles (AVs) are expected to radically disrupt our mobility. Whereas much is speculated about how AVs will actually be implemented in the future, we argue that their advent should be taken as an opportunity to enhance all people’s mobility and improve their lives. Thus, it is important to focus on both the environment and the needs of target groups that have not been sufficiently considered in the past. In this paper, we present the findings from a qualitative study (N=11) of public attitude on hypothetical implementation scenarios for AVs. Our results indicate that people are aware of the benefits of shared mobility for the environment and society, and are generally open to using it. However, 1) emotional factors mitigate this openness and 2) security concerns were expressed by female participants. We recommend that identified concerns must be addressed to allow AVs fully exploiting their benefits for society and environment.