Exploring commuters’ mode preference to autonomous vehicles based on a personalized travel experience survey

With the rapid development of autonomous driving technology and the sharing economy, autonomous driving has significant potential to offer a broader range of travel choices for travelers. To explore different commuters’ autonomous vehicles—related behavioral decisions and choice preference, this study designed a personalized travel experience survey and established travel choice models incorporating individual perceptions and attitudes for two groups. It was found that commuters’ perceptions of autonomous vehicles were significantly improved by travel experience. Travel time is the most concerned factor in travel mode choice for private car commuters, while travel cost is the most important factor for public transport commuters. Therefore, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing the energy consumption of autonomous vehicles could effectively encourage commuters to adopt new travel modes. Improving travelers’ travel experiences and positive attitudes towards using autonomous vehicles is conducive to the adoption of private autonomous vehicles by private car commuters and the choice of shared autonomous vehicles by public transport users. By promoting people’s acceptance of ride-sharing and awareness of its benefits through user experience, publicity, and guidance, a substantial increase in the adoption of shared autonomous vehicles can be achieved among both commuter groups. Suitable thresholds for crucial factors, including travel time and cost, perception, and attitudes towards ride-sharing, were determined for both groups to facilitate their mode transfer among traditional travel modes and autonomous vehicles. The research findings can provide a reference for anticipating travel demand and guiding the formulation of transport policies for future transportation systems.