Factors influencing older adults' acceptance of fully automated vehicles

Abstract

Fully Automated Vehicles (FAVs) have the potential to improve older adults' quality-of-life by enhancing their mobility. Such benefits can only be realized if FAVs are acceptable and thus used by older adults. However, older adults' acceptance of FAVs is reported to be the lowest amongst all Levels of Automation (LoA). The current driving simulation-based study provides preliminary insights into the factors that may be associated with older adults' acceptance of FAVs. Such insights can, in turn, inform user-centered FAV designs that are acceptable for older adults and can thereby enable the benefits of using FAVs by this population. Specific associations that were considered were those between older adults' acceptance of FAVs and internal factors characterizing the individuals, external factors characterizing the driving environment, and FAV features.