Paving the Way to Autonomy – Influencing Factors for the Acceptance of Autonomously Operating Transportation Services in Rural Germany

The use of shared autonomous vehicles for transportation of goods as well as people could provide manifold benefits, for individuals, the environment, but also economically. Including potential users in the early stages of development and roll-out could facilitate a better acceptance of this new mobility concept. We investigated which factors are of particular interest for rural German citizens to promote technology acceptance. In an online survey of N = 139 participants, we found that especially trust in this technology, the attitude towards technology in general, as well as the importance of owning a car are key factors in the intention to use autonomous busses and services in the future.