详情

Exploring Older Adults’ Mobility Challenges and Preferences Before and After COVID-19 Pandemic

项目名称：	Exploring Older Adults’ Mobility Challenges and Preferences Before and After COVID-19 Pandemic
摘要：	The world-wide pandemic of COVID-19 have influenced older adults (65+ years) more than any other age groups. Older adults are more likely to have health problems and/or weak immune systems. Hence, they have been at higher risk for severe illness. In addition, the statistics show that older adults have a disproportionate number of deaths in the United States and elsewhere due to the coronavirus. Considering the life threats of this infectious disease among older adults, transportation plays a critical role in maintaining older adults’ safety while providing mobility to meet their essential needs such as access to health care. Beyond driving, older adults have few mobility options (e.g., using taxi, public transit, Uber/Lyft). During pandemic period such as COVID 19, safe mobility options for older adults become even more limited. In 2019, the share of senior Americans (with 65 years old and above) from the total US population was about 16.5% and is predicted to reach 22% by 2050. It should be noted that this is a significant increase in senior Americans’ share of the total US population compared to 1950 in which merely 8% of the whole population was 65 or above (US Census Bureau, 2020). Since the population in USA is aging (like other developed countries), it is very crucial to examine older road users’ opinions, preferences and needs regarding the necessary transportation options that should be provided (during normal times as well as pandemic periods like COVID-19) to maintain their mobility and quality of life. Fortunately, autonomous vehicles (AV) technology can provide a safe mode of transportation for older adults and persons with disabilities (especially those who no longer can drive safely) during infectious disease epidemics. Although previous research showed a lack of trust and willingness among older population to use AVs, there is no sufficient evidence about the changes in their attitudes, concerns, and willingness to use AVs including shared automated vehicles (e.g., driverless taxi) after experiencing COVID-19 pandemic. Considering these gaps in the literature, the primary objectives of this study are to: (1) Examine older Americans’ mobility challenges to use current transportation modes (e.g., driving private automobile, using public transit, taxi, shared rides such as Uber) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Explore the changes in concerns, preferences, and willingness of older Americans to use autonomous vehicles before and after the pandemic. (3) Identify and quantify the contributing factors affecting older adults’ willingness and concerns to use different levels of autonomous vehicle technology including shared autonomous vehicles (shared taxi). It is expected that the results of this study will provide actionable countermeasures to mitigate older adults’ mobility challenges especially during epidemic conditions such as COVID 19. The findings of this study are believed to shed light on key mobility challenges and preferences of older adults, which provide transportation authorities and car manufacturers with valuable insight about the future direction of autonomous vehicles in terms of technological needs, policy, design, and planning.
状态：	Active
资金：	90215
资助组织：	Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
管理组织：	Transportation Consortium of South-Central States (Tran-SET)
项目负责人：	Mousa, Momen R
执行机构：	Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
主要研究人员：	Hassan, Hany
开始时间：	20220401
主题领域：	Highways；Planning and Forecasting；Public Transportation；Safety and Human Factors；Society；Vehicles and Equipment