As part of its Demonstration and Experimentation initiative, Propulsion Québec held the Crossed Perspectives Forum: autonomous shuttles in Quebec on September 9 and 10. Presented as five virtual conferences, its objective was to review the autonomous shuttle projects that took place in Quebec and to share the lessons learned from those experiences.
Following the insights that emerged from this exchange, Propulsion Québec offers the Regards Croisés article series highlighting the themes addressed during the Forum. This fourth article presents findings on social acceptability and citizens' receptiveness to the deployment and use of autonomous shuttles.
Following the deployment of Keolis's autonomous shuttle pilot project in the city of Candiac, and Transdev's on the territory of the Olympic Park, specialists in citizens' propensity to use autonomous shuttle services surveyed users to learn their receptiveness to using such vehicles.
The online survey conducted by Trajectoire Québec, as part of theAutonomous towards my transport!, indicates that more than 70% of respondents were not at all aware of the existence of either of the autonomous shuttle pilot projects in Quebec. It is important to note that more than half of these respondents came from the Montreal or Montérégie region, where the two pilot projects took place. The majority of survey respondents reported being regular or occasional users of public transit. Despite the relatively low level of awareness observed in this survey, the perception reflected in the results is rather favorable toward the presence and deployment of autonomous shuttles.
Social acceptability among the general public: perceptions
- 50%of respondents say they arerather comfortableorvery comfortableregarding vehicle automation
- 60%of respondents think that autonomous shuttles canaddress a mobility need
- The safety of passengers on board (28%) appears to be a less significant obstacle than thethe safety of those outside the shuttle who are not motorists (42%)
- 86%of respondents state that they would use an autonomous shuttle serviceif a route were developed along a path they frequent*
*Data collected as part of the Autonomous towards my transport! survey conducted by Trajectoire Québec.
Among the reasons that emerge for not using the service:
- Cyclists consider that biking is a more efficient way to get around;
- Other respondents raise issues related to safety since the technology is still new and in testing mode.
Respondents inclined to use a shuttle service would do so as a replacement for a trip already made by public transit (55%), by car (50%) and on foot (40%). This addresses the so-called last mile to complete, in order to avoid using a car to get to a public transit pickup point, for example.
The safety aspect is a very important element for users:
- Nearly half of those surveyed believe that the autonomous shuttle would improve road safety;
- The presence of an operator in the shuttle contributes to users' sense of safety;
- Few believe that the autonomous shuttle would cause greater safety risks on the roads, the largest proportion being cyclists because of a few minor incidents that occurred during the two pilot projects. Some cyclists tried to pass between the shuttle and the curb, which triggered a potential hazard detector and caused the shuttle to stop.
Lack of awareness and insufficient information among the general public
Among the studies carried out, both that of Trajectoire Québec and that of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) conducted with several partners, one finding emerges very clearly:respondents are not well informed about the projects taking place in the territory and are largely unfamiliar with vehicle automation. They are nevertheless confident and inclined to use services that would be developed. They should therefore be better informed so that they become aware of how shuttles operate, their usefulness and their contribution in terms of mobility.Autonomous shuttles must meet a mobility need of the general public.
A question of safety first and foremost
The main concerns raised by citizens are related to the coexistence of autonomous shuttles with other vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. Because of misunderstandings about how the shuttle itself operates, other road users exhibit inappropriate behaviors and reactions toward it. According to the results of the INRS survey, 20% of respondents reported changing their behavior on the road when they encountered the autonomous shuttle in Candiac, whether by slowing down, trying to make eye contact with the operator or overtaking it, due to the very low speed of the shuttle.
Another concern raised: what will happen on board the shuttle if someone feels unwell, for example? The whole issue of managing a problematic situation inside the shuttle itself worries those surveyed. Specialists foresee the possibility that the operator could act as an advisor, both to explain to people how an autonomous shuttle works, to indicate the different stops, or simply be a resource in case of an emergency, or even to assist a person with reduced mobility. The technology will continue to evolve and perhaps eventually shuttles will be able to operate without an operator.
Despite the few concerns raised, people remain curious and interested in testing more autonomous shuttles; the period is therefore ideal to maximize the deployment of pilot projects across Quebec so that the population becomes familiar with them and understands all their aspects.
To listen (or re-listen!) | Webinar on social acceptability and autonomous vehicles
With:
Specialists on citizens' propensity to use autonomous shuttle services explain to the public the population-level issues related to the deployment of autonomous vehicles, the public's receptivity, and what recent studies on the subject tell us.
Speakers:
- Marie-Soleil Cloutier, Associate Professor, Director, Pedestrian and Urban Space Laboratory (LAPS);
- Sarah V. Doyon, Director of Trajectoire Québec.
The Crossed Perspectives Forum: autonomous shuttles in Quebec, organized by Propulsion Québec, was made possible thanks to our main partner theMontreal Urban Innovation Laboratoryand to our collaboratorsJalon MontréalandIVÉO.
The autonomous shuttle industry in Quebec
Several members of Propulsion Québec are involved, directly or indirectly, in the realization of these autonomous shuttle projects. To learn more about their expertise in the field, we invite you to visit their various websites:
- Leddartech: LiDAR technology
- Keolis: Operator
- Transdev: Operator
- Orange Traffic: Smart traffic light
- Ivéo: Project planning
- Jalon MTL: Project planning
Further reading
Also read the first articles of the Regards Croisés series:Anatomy of an autonomous shuttle: a profile of a technology that opens a whole new path,The pioneers: three autonomous shuttle projects in Quebec since 2018andRegulation in Quebec for autonomous shuttles: the current situationand stay tuned for upcoming articles!
