How will travel time use and perception be modified by autonomous vehicles? Insights from personal driving commuters and public transport commuters

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are poised to transform travel time use and perception by eliminating the burden of driving and enabling various in-vehicle activities. Based on an online survey conducted in China, this study provides an empirical analysis on exploring people’s preferences for utilizing travel time in AVs. The analysis mainly focuses on car-driver commuters and public transport (PT) commuters by considering the sample size and future travel activity type (TAT) transform potential. Using rank-ordered probit models and random parameter ordered logit models, we analyzed the factors influencing commuters’ preferences for TATs during AV commutes and their acceptable increase in commuting time. Our findings reveal that the current TAT reference, the interest in productive use of travel time, and the experience level of autonomous driving remarkably affect TAT references for both commuter types, whereas the perceived travel subjective well-being is only a driving force for car-driver commuters engaging in well-being activities. Additionally, the heterogeneous effects of future TAT preferences on acceptable commuting time increase are observed, depending on the individuals’ attitudes toward different in-vehicle activities. For car-driver commuters, those inclined toward work/study activities are willing to accept extended commuting time; whereas for PT commuters, those who are least likely to engage in work/study activities are willing to accept high degrees of commuting time increase.