Study: Men, urban dwellers, Millennials more excited about AVs

[diplomat33]

Independent global research firm, Arlington Research conducted a study with 2,000 U.S. adults (aged 18+) with nationally representative quotas set on gender, age and region at a country-wide level. Research was conducted in 2021 using an online methodology.

The study found that a lot of people don't understand the difference between autonomous driving and driver assist, men, city dwellers, and Millennials/Gen X'ers are more excited about AVs.

Here are the details:

When the respondents were asked to pick which of two statements best describes an ‘autonomous vehicle,’ 40% of the respondents chose the correct response, 42% of the respondents chose the incorrect response (which was the definition of a vehicle with an advanced driver assistance system), and about 18% of respondents said they did not understand the term. Given respondents were encouraged to pick, even if they were not familiar with the response, the split showed no greater than 40% of people knew the AV definition.

Men were nearly 3x more likely to buy an AV once they are available than women (44.3% of men were likely, compared to 16% of women). Men were also twice as likely to ride in an AV taxi compared to women (54.8% of men were likely, compared to 26.8% of women). When children were added to the equation and respondents were asked if they’d send their children in an AV bus, the discrepancy jumped back to 3x (46.3% of men were likely, compared to 15.2% of women).

Those in the more dense, urban areas were more likely to buy an AV when they are available compared to those in less dense areas (38.8% in cities were likely, 21.1% in town, and 12.2% in rural areas). The same pattern held for likelihood to ride in an AV taxi (46.1% in cities were likely, 36.8% in towns, and 26% in rural areas). For sending children in an AV bus, the pattern held (37.4% in cities were likely, 23.9% in towns, and 16% in rural areas).

When it came to the perceptions of benefits — including that AVs will make life easier, improve lifestyles, free up time for family/friends and reduce accidents on the road — Millennials (1981–1996) and Generation X (1965–1980) were much more likely to agree (~50%) than the younger (Generation Z, 1997–2012) or older generations such as Baby Boomers (1946–1964) and the Silent Generation (before 1946). And when it comes to riding in an AV taxi once they are available, the pattern holds (36.9% of Generation Z were likely, 50.7% of Millennials, 46.1% of Generation X, 26.9% of Baby Boomers and 18.7% of the Silent Generation).

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