U.S. Autonomous Mobility Value Drivers
Methodology
Type of Study
Methodology
Sample Size
Location
Industry
Segment
Sub-Segment
Target Audience
the challenge
City partners and AV operators were investing in smart-city pilots, but adoption messaging was fragmented: some teams led with safety, others with convenience, accessibility, or affordability. Without a consistent, quantified read on which value propositions truly drive trial, repeat use, and advocacy—and how those priorities change wave-to-wave—stakeholders lacked confidence to scale pilots, refine service design, and allocate budget efficiently. They needed evidence that would support decision-making across policy, operations, and customer experience.
Our Approach
InnResearch built a quantitative tracker to measure the “value prop hierarchy” over time, linking stated preferences to real-world exposure and service touchpoints. The design isolated: Primary adoption drivers (time savings, safety, accessibility, cost) by stakeholder type Driver shifts after key events (pilot expansion, pricing changes, media coverage, incidents) What improves conversion from “willing to try” to “repeat rider” The minimum performance thresholds required before each value prop becomes credible
Key Insights
Value prop priorities are not stable: In Wave 1, “safety assurance” led for 62% of decision-makers, but shifted toward “reliability/time savings” (67%) after service consistency improved and wait times dropped. Accessibility is a conversion catalyst, not just a brand claim: When riders perceived tangible accessibility features (clear boarding cues, assistance options), repeat-intent increased from 54% to 71% among accessibility-sensitive segments. Price only wins once credibility is earned: “Lower cost than rideshare” influenced trial, but did not sustain loyalty unless baseline reliability met expectations; otherwise churn risk rose even with discounts. Operational proof points outperform marketing language: Concrete cues (uptime, incident transparency, easy support) drove trust and adoption more than generic “cutting-edge” positioning across all waves.
Impact
The tracker enabled stakeholders to align city partners and operators around the same adoption KPIs and to identify which value propositions to lead with by audience and wave. It supported decision-making on pilot expansion timing, pricing tests, and service design investments. The work helped brands prioritize experience and communications that translate into repeat use, and delivered actionable insights that improved message-market fit while protecting trust in smart-city deployments.
Conclusion
By quantifying how and why adoption drivers shift over time, InnResearch turned competing narratives (safety vs convenience vs accessibility vs cost) into a clear, evidence-based roadmap. The tracker provided a reliable foundation for scaling autonomous mobility pilots in U.S. urban environments—grounded in what converts riders and satisfies public-sector stakeholders.