Look Who's Talking Now: Implications of AV's Explanations on Driver's Trust, AV Preference, Anxiety and Mental Workload

Explanations given by automation are often used to promote automation adoption. However, it remains unclear whether explanations promote acceptance of automated vehicles (AVs). In this study, we conducted a within-subject experiment in a driving simulator with 32 participants, using four different conditions. The four conditions included: (1) no explanation, (2) explanation given before or (3) after the AV acted and (4) the option for the driver to approve or disapprove the AV's action after hearing the explanation. We examined four AV outcomes: trust, preference for AV, anxiety and mental workload. Results suggest that explanations provided before an AV acted were associated with higher trust in and preference for the AV, but there was no difference in anxiety and workload. These results have important implications for the adoption of AVs.Comment: 42 pages, 5 figures, 3 Table

Who Is (Communicatively More) Responsible Behind the Wheel? Applying the Theory of Communicative Responsibility to TAM in the Context of Using Navigation Technology

By examining how perceived usefulness and ease of use relate to the user’s perception (i.e., communicative responsibility), the communicative behavior of the navigation system (i.e., the landmarks used to give directions), and the context of driving (i.e., familiarity of the driving location), this study applies the theory of communicative responsibility to the technology acceptance model to better understand why users are more likely to adopt certain navigation technologies while driving. We hypothesized that users’ perceived symmetry in communicative responsibility independently and interactively (with communicative behavior of the navigation system and the driving situation) affects perceived ease of use and usefulness of the navigation system. Consequently, the perceived ease of use and usefulness may affect the user’s intention to use the navigation system. This study found that usefulness was a significant predictor of behavioral intention. While driving in a less familiar location, the drivers perceived the navigation system to be more useful. When the navigation system provided location-specific landmarks, such as the name of a local store, drivers who attributed more communicative responsibility to the system were likely to find it useful

Car Infotainment: An early analysis of driver perceptions towards apps in the car

Driven by technological advances, the vision of a Connected Car finally becomes reality. As one of the Connected Car innovations, Car Infotainment Systems now get an internet connection. Following the example of the mobile industry, app ecosystems are about to emerge in cars. In-Vehicle technology has already become the new differentiation battleground in the automotive industry. Being technologically possible, however, does not guarantee the success of app-based Car Infotainment Systems. It is not clear whether these systems are appreciated by car drivers, seeing that apps not necessarily provide assistance for driving, but in contrast can be a source of driver distraction and thus threaten traffic safety. It was therefore the purpose of this study to explain the perceptions of car drivers towards Car Infotainment Systems that provide access to an App ecosystem and thereby determine success factors from a user’s perspective. For this reason, a research model that extends the Technology Acceptance Model with hypothetical factors has been proposed based on a literature review on driver acceptance. By analyzing data collected through an online survey, perceptions have been measured and nine hypotheses among these factors have been tested. It could be shown that drivers’ perceptions of Car Infotainment Systems are slightly positive. Task-technology-fit, usefulness, ease of use, risk and costs could be approved as being influencing factors of the behavioral intention to use Car Infotainment Systems. However, the perceived risk seems to have no direct influence. Implications for both practice and academia could be drawn from these results

Tourism and the smartphone app: capabilities, emerging practice and scope in the travel domain.

Based on its advanced computing capabilities and ubiquity, the smartphone has rapidly been adopted as a tourism travel tool.With a growing number of users and a wide varietyof applications emerging, the smartphone is fundamentally altering our current use and understanding of the transport network and tourism travel. Based on a review of smartphone apps, this article evaluates the current functionalities used in the domestic tourism travel domain and highlights where the next major developments lie. Then, at a more conceptual level, the article analyses how the smartphone mediates tourism travel and the role it might play in more collaborative and dynamic travel decisions to facilitate sustainable travel. Some emerging research challenges are discussed

Less is Sometimes More – The Impact of In-Vehicle Information Systems on Perceived Range Stress

Recent research has emphasized a new dimension of driver stress, the concern of getting stranded with an electric vehicle due to a depleted battery, referred to as range stress. One promising solution is seen in the appropriate provision of relevant information through in-vehicle information systems. We aim to investigate how individuals perceive the interaction of these systems with a particular focus on range stress. Thus, we employed an experimental research design in real traffic situations consisting of 70 participants. We put participants in a critical range situation and showed that the provision of volatile and too much range-related information leads to increased range stress perception, and hence, negatively affects the willingness to use electric vehicles. This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge, as it points to the importance of accounting for potential dysfunctional consequences of increased use of information systems

Safety Technology Adoption: Predicting Intention to Use Car Dashcams in an Emerging Country

This study investigates the factors that affect the user's intention to use dashcam in Malaysia. This study examines the quantitative relationship of intrinsic as well as extrinsic factors such as personal innovativeness, perceived uniqueness, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude, perceived behavioral control, social influence, price value, and trust to the purchase intention of dashcam. Purposive sampling technique was employed to collect responses from 232 respondents based on two criteria: first, individuals who have experienced driving on the road and have a car; and second, individuals who not yet adopt or purchase the dashcam. The data were analyzed using SmartPLS (version 3.3.2). No relationship between personal innovativeness and perceived usefulness was found, in contrast to a significant relationship the former and perceived ease of use. Furthermore, perceived uniqueness was found significant to both perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Consistent with the literature, both perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use were identified as factors influencing attitude. However, perceived usefulness did not affect intention. Perceived behavioral control, social influence, attitude, and trust significantly affected the behavioral intention to use the dashcam in Malaysia. This study attempts to integrate and adapt two technology adoption models, namely the Combined Technology Acceptance Model and Theory Planned Behavior and extension of Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, also extends the model with personal innovativeness, perceived uniqueness, and trust to fulfil the study's objectives as well

Pricing Innovation: State of the Art and Automotive Applications

The paper aims at elaborating on pricing and business models for forthcoming innovative ITS devices, limiting its scope in particular to in-vehicle driving assistance systems and suggesting the various possible innovation and pricing strategies with theoretical discussions. The methodology is based on a comprehensive literature review of the major contributions made by the fields of managerial economics and management sciences to the study of pricing strategies and practices and, in particular, the pricing of innovative goods or services, in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the various schools of thought. The paper also gathers and analyzes the available data on two innovative navigation and safety devices for cars, namely ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) and navigation systems, in order to put forward an initial interpretation.It concludes that there is no formula or even a vague method for determining "acceptable" price levels or "trigger points". There are two options, i.e. disruptive innovation which is by essence very risky and incremental innovation with each major model renewal.Innovation; pricing; automobile; intelligent transportation system