The human element in autonomous driving: Motivations, expectations, and behavioral change

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have the ability to revolutionize mobility by addressing current challenges, but their success relies on the deployment and utilization of the technology by future users of AVs. This paper delves into the complex interplay of users` motivations and decision-making processes that shape future transportation behavior in the era of AVs. Using means-end chain analysis, data from 30 in-depth laddering interviews revealed four overarching motives of potential AV users: self-actualization, efficiency, well-being, and autonomy. Self-actualization entails leveraging time gained through the utilization of AVs to enrich one's life. Efficiency denotes the desire to use available resources as efficiently as possible in order to achieve desired goals. Well-being embodies the desire for a pleasant, safe, and relaxed driving experience. Autonomy defines the desire for independence, including the pursuits of acting freely and self-determinedly. This study advances theoretical understanding by revealing specific motivational drivers and barriers that influence AV acceptance and usage, resolving contradictions in existing literature, and illustrating the multifaceted dynamics between individual preferences and broader mobility behavior. Thereby, this study enhances current discourse on AV integration, offering a well-founded basis for refining transportation policy and technology development.