Shared autonomous vehicles and inclusive mobility: perceptions of older adults and people with reduced mobility in Athens, Greece

Abstract With the world’s ageing population and increasing transport equity issues, shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) represent a potential solution to the persistent mobility barriers faced by older adults and people with reduced mobility. These vulnerable populations often have limited access to transport due to poor access to public transit and limited paratransit service availability. Despite a growing interest in autonomous mobility, there is little evidence on how older adults and people with reduced mobility perceive SAVs, particularly in southern European contexts and under varying mobility and digital access conditions. This study analyses perceptions referring to SAV benefits and barriers, and the intended use of SAVs among older adults and people with reduced mobility in the Athens metropolitan area. It specifically identifies the main factors underpinning the willingness of these vulnerable populations to employ SAV services. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 267 participants aged 60 + and mobility-impaired adults using paper-based questionnaires. The study used descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and ordinal logistic regression modelling to examine the relationships between demographic characteristics and perceptions of SAVs. Road safety was found to be the most important factor for SAV acceptance, followed by service reliability and vehicle accessibility. Concerns about human intervention in emergencies and accident risks were the biggest acceptance barriers. The regression model showed that perceived vehicle accessibility, autonomy benefits, cost savings and service reliability significantly predicted positive attitudes towards the societal value of SAVs. The results suggest that for SAVs to be popular among older adults and people with reduced mobility, service safety, affordability and reliability must be championed and emergency response concerns should be addressed.