The introduction of electronic Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in road vehicles is expected to improve traffic efficiency and safety significantly. As such, public policy makers are increasingly interested in the implementation possibilities of these systems. Successful implementation in the near future of these systems will largely depend on the willingness of people to buy and use these systems. The current knowledge regarding this willingness is limited. Therefore, in this paper the acceptance of potential users is explored regarding the first ADAS currently deployed. These systems involve proper distance keeping, speed limit adaptation and navigational support. The preferences for ADA systems have been measured using conjoint analysis techniques. Drivers of cars and trucks throughout Europe have been questioned about the overall attractiveness regarding several alternative ADAS. Alternative systems were presented based on their functional features, different levels of system price and varying types of roads on which ADAS could be used. On average, drivers consider it neither attractive nor unattractive to have support systems in their vehicle(s). However, the study shows that this finding needs to be qualified, as preferences depend on the specific system characteristics and the background characteristics of drivers. (Author/publisher)
Abstract