29.04.2022
The experiments of the E-Bus Competence Center in Luxembourg reveal what new means will have to be in order to become users’ favorites.
High-capacity autonomous buses will be more efficient, safer and more comfortable than those in use today. This, however, will not guarantee that passengers will accept them. In fact, in the common perception of users, the role of the driver goes beyond that of simply controlling the vehicle.
Experiments conducted in Luxembourg by the E-Bus Competence Center, as part of the Horizon 2020 project PAsCAL, have shown that the acceptance by passengers of autonomous buses without driver depends not only on the perception of greater vehicle safety (e.g. risk of accident) but also on that of personal safety (e.g. risk of being victim of a crime).
The study – conducted between June and December 2021 – was based on 7 experiments involving 51 daily commuters traveling on a 12-meter bus.
The “Wizard of Oz” methodology was applied: the vehicle was presented in such a way that passengers were convinced they were traveling on an autonomous bus, without a driver. Several driving scenarios experienced, including technical problems, overnight travel and solo travel. Some scenarios included digital assistance, including proactive and responsive video and voice connection with a control center.
The main result of the experiments is that passengers generally accept the technology and appreciate its safety and environmental benefits. The absence of the driver, however, leads to consider the quality of the service as inferior. To mitigate this negative perception, it will therefore be necessary to develop forms of digital assistance, including on-demand contacts with a control center.
The results indicate that, in typical daytime operations with several passengers on board, the on-demand and proactive support provided by a control center may prove sufficient. Mobile applications can serve as an additional personal interface between operator and passengers. However, they cannot completely replace on-board systems, for example for people with disabilities, who may have limited access to personal devices.
The issues related to night travel, when passengers are often alone in the bus, require further study. Indeed, in such cases, the absence of a driver appears to represent a significant problem. Furthermore, in the event of serious personal threats or emergency situations, communications technology solutions would not always be able to provide the necessary support in an acceptable amount of time.
According to tests conducted in Luxembourg, therefore, automation technology will not be the “magic wand” capable of making public transport more attractive. An autonomous bus operating in mixed traffic, sharing the road with autonomous and conventional vehicles, will be only slightly more attractive than a conventional bus. Automation will therefore have to be considered a factor that will allow different applications to make new means of public transport more efficient, so that users prefer them to traditional means.