Perceptions of Stress Among Pedestrians in Fully Automated Vehicle Transportation Systems

Abstract

Fully automated vehicle (FAV) technology is recognized to offer a variety of benefits, such as increased safety, a drop in emissions, and better quality of life for people with disabilities or without a driving license. Despite the benefits, it has not been widely adopted. Demographics and user personalities play a large role in technology adoption, but nonusers’ involvement is often overlooked. Considering the current attention on FAV technology and its users, pedestrians (who do not use it) are understudied. In future, FAVs may be deployed once they have been proven safe and accepted by the public. This study aimed to provide insights into how pedestrians’ emotional perceptions might influence their adoption of FAVs. Within-subject research was conducted using virtual reality-based videos to assess pedestrians’ perceptions of stress. Videos showed identical first-person-view walking scenarios of various spatial contexts and activities in urban transportation networks comprising all-human-driven vehicles (HDVs) and futuristic all-FAVs. The results indicated that pedestrians’ perceptions of stress differed significantly by vehicle type, spatial context, and activity. Further, they differed significantly by gender and whether walking was perceived as safe. Walking in all-FAV transportation systems was perceived as more stressful than walking in all-HDV systems. Women tended to report higher levels of stress. Crossing roads and shared pathways were also associated with higher levels of perceived stress. Research related to pedestrians’ emotional perceptions could have important implications for future policymaking and urban planning.