Does users’ experience and evaluation of level 3 automated driving functions predict willingness to use: Results from an on-road study

To ensure the successful deployment of Automated Vehicles (AVs), it is important to understand users’ acceptance and willingness to use. The majority of previous studies which have investigated Willingness to Use of automated functionalities in vehicles, have relied on users’ imagination of system operational features, without any actual hands-on experience. To close this research gap, we conducted an extensive questionnaire study with participants who had experienced either a Motorway (N = 294) or an Urban (N = 144) Automated Driving Function (ADF) in an on-road study using prototype vehicles, conducted as part of the large-scale European L3Pilot project. We investigated the impact of participants’ demographic characteristics, and their evaluation of the ADFs, on their Willingness to Use these ADFs again in the future. Findings revealed that age was a significant predictor but had a small effect, with younger users showing a higher Willingness to Use the Motorway ADF, but not the Urban ADF. Other user characteristics, such as safety drivers versus ordinary drivers, system familiarity, and gender, did not predict Willingness to Use, for either system. Factors related to users’ Feelings of Ease (e.g., perceived safety, fun, comfort, trust) and Perceived Usefulness of the system, were the most important predictors, with more positive ratings for these factors leading to a higher Willingness to Use, for both systems. Other factors that showed an effect on Willingness to Use include System Monitoring Requirements (i.e., willingness to engage in other tasks instead of monitoring the system), System Information (i.e., wanting to know more about the system's limitations) and System Expectations being met. This study shows the importance of ensuring that users have a good experience and perceive the system as useful to increase their Willingness to Use the ADF.