Bayesian Optimization of Road Pricing using Agent-based Mobility Simulation

Abstract

In this paper, we aim to study the role of the immersive Virtual Reality (VR) experience in the preferences elicited with standard Stated Choice (SC) experiments embedded into a VR environment. For this purpose, a SC was built and implemented both online and within a VR environment and respondents were asked to reply to both surveys. The SC experiment consists of a binary choice between a normal taxi with the driver (NT) and a fully automated taxi (AT). The context is a well-known street in the city centre of Newcastle upon Tyne (UK). Hybrid choice models were estimated and results compared. Results suggest that VR experience indeed has significant effects on some attributes examined (waiting time and good reviews) and on the role of the latent variables in the choice of AT. Trust is significant only online, while injunctive norms and perceived safety only in the VR environment.