Cycling with Robots: How Long-Term Interaction Experience with Automated Shuttle Buses Shapes Cyclist Attitudes

Sam Thellman, Franziska Babel, Tom Ziemke

Abstract: Understanding how people's attitudes and trust toward robots change over time based on prolonged interaction is crucial for their successful integration into real-world environments. However, long-term deployments of robotic systems in natural settings are relatively rare. In this work, we administered a survey to bicyclists (N = 94) who shared the road with automated shuttle buses for up to three years on their daily commute. The results of the survey show that cyclists with more interaction experience reported more negative attitudes toward the presence of the buses in the shared space, referring to their low usage as one of the main reasons. This finding underscores the significance of perceived usefulness in shaping long-term acceptance of automated services.