TOWARDS SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF CONNECTED AND AUTOMATED VEHICLES (CAVs) TECHNOLOGY: INSIGHTS ON DRIVERS’ PREFERENCES, BEHAVIOR, SAFETY, AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) are expected to revolutionize the transportation sector by improving safety and efficiency. To ensure successful implementation of CAVs technology, it is crucial to understand drivers’ behaviors, perceptions, and preferences towards this technology. This dissertation contributes to the literature by achieving two main goals: (1) To thoroughly explore drivers’ behaviors and safety in the presence of CAVs technologies, including CAV platoons and connected vehicle (CV) warnings via Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications; and (2) To examine drivers’ perceptions and preferences towards V2I communications and CAV platoons.\nThe first goal was achieved through three distinct driving simulator experiments involving 34, 79, and 70 drivers. The data collected from these experiments were analyzed using generalized estimating equation (GEE), generalized linear mixed model (GLMM), and generalized linear model (GLM). The results indicated that the presence of recognizable platoons during merging led to around 32% less speed variability, 29% less acceleration variability, and 20% higher time-to-collision (TTC). CV warnings during hurricane evacuation led to around 20% less maximum speed, 16% less maximum deceleration, 14% less acceleration variability, and 22% higher minimum TTC (mTTC). Furthermore, mTTC increased by around 20% during merging and 5% during diverging when CV warnings about platoons were provided.\nThe second goal was achieved by analyzing 1,563 responses from an online national survey in the US through descriptive statistics, structural equation modeling, latent class cluster analysis, and multinomial logit models. Over 83% of the respondents considered V2I warning messages as ‘important’ or ‘extremely important’ for safety. Additionally, respondents’ gender, age, experience, education, prior-crash-history, commute time, and vehicle ownership influenced their preferences for V2I communications. Moreover, the stated preferences for interactions with CAV platoons indicated that the majority prefer to merge or diverge behind the platoons, followed by in front of the platoons or cut-in between platooning vehicles.\nThis dissertation expands knowledge on CAVs technology by providing insights into its benefits and drivers’ preferences and interactions with this technology. It also paves the way for safer and more efficient transportation systems through recommending strategies and policy guidelines for successful integration of CAVs into the existing transportation system.