A survey on public acceptance of automated vehicles across COVID-19 pandemic periods in China

Automated vehicles (AVs) are not yet widely accepted by the public, and the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to lead to a shift in attitudes toward travel modes and vehicles because of travel restrictions and the risk of viral transmission. Therefore, it is necessary to understand how AVs are being accepted by the public during the pandemic. This study investigated public acceptance of AVs across two periods of the COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control in China via 19-question online surveys, including the travel modes, AVs acceptance, and sociodemographic. A total of 429 responses were collected. Results showed that the public acceptance of AVs was on the positive side, but was diverse in items: the average extra cost willing to pay for a fully AV was 28,855.88 CNY (4116.39 USD), and 26.8% of respondents were not willing to pay for it. Respondents agreed on the benefits of AVs and are concerned about legal liability for drivers and fuel economy, and had a positive attitude of commercial AVs. Most acceptance items had differences between the pandemic periods, indicating that people were more willing to accept AVs during period with higher risk of infection. However, only the difference in perceived benefits of AV of ensuring social distance was statistically significant. Gender, age, and ownership of vehicle had greater effects on AVs acceptance, while driving ability and driving experience had small effects on it. This survey can provide insights for studies examining the acceptance of AVs across time, and exploring factors influencing AVs acceptance.