Analysis and Evaluation of the Impact of Shared Autonomous Vehicles Deployment on Travel Demand of People with Disabilities (Case Study: Tehran)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohammadamin Ebrahimzadeh 1
Shahriar Afandizadeh 2
Seyed Ebrahim Abdolmanafi 1
1 Department of Civil Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Professor, School of Civil Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/road.2025.528969.2407
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) on the travel demand of people with disabilities, including the elderly, individuals with physical impairments, and children in Tehran. The required data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 823 residents of the city. The data were analyzed using a multiple linear regression model. The findings revealed that variables such as attitude toward ride-sharing, perceived safety, technological awareness, reliability, and access to autonomous vehicles significantly influence the increase in travel demand among these groups. The model's coefficient of determination (R²) was calculated to be 0.691, indicating a strong capacity of the model to explain the variations in the dependent variable. Furthermore, the results of the ANOVA test confirmed the statistical significance of the model at the 0.000 level, and the Durbin-Watson test result of 1.95 confirmed the absence of autocorrelation in the residuals. Overall, the results indicate that shared autonomous vehicles can play a vital role in improving mobility, social participation, and quality of life for people with disabilities by reducing traditional travel barriers and enhancing the sense of safety and accessibility. These findings can serve as a foundation for developing supportive policies aimed at advancing inclusive and intelligent urban transportation systems.
Keywords
Shared Autonomous Vehicles
Travel Demand
People with Disabilities
Multiple Regression Model
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