The influence of a Personal Intelligent Travel Assistant on car-drivers’ modal choice-processes. One of various possible ways to reduce abundant car-use is to induce a modal shift towards more sustainable travel modalities such as Public Transport (PT)-modalities. The application of personal ICT-applications in passenger transport is a socially accepted instrument that is often expected to induce such a modal shift by motivating car-drivers to consider PT-alternatives. There is no evidence or suggestion however, that Public Transport-modalities have until now benefited from the availability of personal ICT’s. An important reason for this might be the fact that these modal choices are backed by behavioural processes that are often performed in an habitual, script-based fashion without extensive deliberation, resulting in car-drivers that are not susceptible for Public Transport at all. The concept of a Personal Intelligent Travel Assistant (PITA) is then introduced: its functionality is far superior to that of current personal ICT’s in passenger transport. This paper studies the potential of this PITA to change the decision-processes behind car-drivers’ modal choices. It does so by presenting the findings of a performed literature review and by formulating design recommendations. (Author/publisher)
Abstract