01736113

Component

https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198120914299

The paper investigates the impacts and barriers posed by connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) for pedestrians with visual impairment. This study uses a customized web-based survey of visually impaired people from Canada and abroad. Collected data are used to estimate econometric models to identify the critical factors that affect the level of trust in CAVs and the preference for using CAVs from the visually impaired individuals’ perspective. Separate models are estimated for Canadian and non-Canadian samples, as Canadian and non-Canadian participants show some differences in perception and positive attitude towards CAVs. The models reveal that the majority of the respondents prefer to get feedback and alerts from CAVs. Congenitally blind Canadians are less likely to trust CAVs, but non-Canadian congenital blinds tend to trust CAVs. The models also indicate that the respondents who experienced being near an accident with an electric vehicle (EV) are less likely to choose CAVs. Respondents who rely on mobile applications and technology-based devices for navigating purposes tend to trust CAVs. Blind people who rely on conventional navigation tools (e.g., white cane, guide dog, etc.) are less likely to be the users of CAVs. Gender effect is visible, as the female participants tend not to trust CAVs. In relation to policy recommendations, subsidies should be provided to various advocacy groups to offer orientation and mobility (O&M) training services, which are pivotal to educate how to use technology-based navigational services. Also, automobile manufacturers should be enforced to add acoustic vehicle alert systems (AVAS) to both EVs and CAVs.

The views and interpretations expressed in this paper are of the authors only. © National Academy of Sciences: Transportation Research Board 2020.

English

pp 183-195

2020-5

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

Web

References (49)

Attitudes; Autonomous vehicles; Blind persons; Connected vehicles; Consumer preferences; Econometric models; Electric vehicles; Gender; Policy; Psychological trust; Surveys; Visually impaired persons

Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System

Canada

Data and Information Technology; Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Policy; Safety and Human Factors

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Apr 10 2020 3:04PM