User Segmentation of Rural Mobility: Psychological User Profiles for Railtransport Concepts in Germany (study 2)

This study investigates mobility behaviour in Germany with the aim to identify distinct user and non-user profiles relevant for a potential future mobility innovation (rail ferry system for electric vehicles). The study assesses current mobility behaviour, attitudes towards different modes of transport, as well as perceived safety of autonomous transport systems. These psychological and behavioural indicators are collected jointly with socio-demographic characteristics. All participants will be exposed to a one-minute video that introduces and briefly explains the rail ferry system for electric vehicles. This standardised stimulus will be shown to all respondents during the survey. Immediately after stimulus exposure, participants will evaluate the innovation concept on perceived attractiveness, feasibility, and technology acceptance. The focus of this study is on rural mobility. Rural regions are particularly relevant in the context of mobility innovations because they show different mobility needs, barriers, and infrastructure constraints compared to urban regions. Participants who are younger than 18 years and/or who indicate no personal experience with rural areas in Germany will be excluded. The goal of the project is to derive interpretable user clusters that allow to characterise typical potential user groups for future transport systems in rural contexts. The goal is to predict the potential adoption of this innovation and to compare the concept with a related study on autonomous monorail vehicle concepts.