Beyond Transportation: How to Keep Users Attached When They Are Neither Driving nor Owning Automated Cars?

Abstract

The way drivers relate to cars is likely bound to change with the rise of automated vehicles and new ownership models. However, personal relationships towards products are an important part of buying decisions. Car manufacturers thus need to provide novel bonding experiences for their future customers in order to stay competitive. We introduce a vehicle attachment model based on related work from other domains. In interviews with 16 car owners we verify the approach as promising and derive four attachment types by applying the model: interviewees' personal attachments were grounded on either self-empowering reasons, memories with the car, increased status, or a loving friendship towards their car. We propose how to address the needs of these four attachment types as a first step towards emotionally irreplaceable automated and shared vehicles.