Rider Trust and the Role of the Operator in Automated Shuttles

Automated, low-speed shuttles are being deployed to help solve the first-mile/last-mile problem in several cities worldwide. To achieve full automation, each of the roles and responsibilities of the operator must be considered. This research aimed to address how increased ridership, abrupt emergency stops, and the operator influenced the development of trust in riders. Surveys and video footage were collected from riders, as well as the operator on-board. Results suggested that increased ridership with the shuttle predicts more positive experiences and confidence in the technology. However, riders that experienced one or more unexpected emergency stops during shuttle operation were less trusting of the technology. In addition, we found that the backup operator actively worked to foster rider trust. These findings suggest that several challenges will need to be addressed in order to develop and maintain rider trust in low speed automated shuttles when an operator is no longer present.