Assessing public preferences for design and environmental attributes of an urban automated transportation system

This study investigates public preferences toward design and environmental aesthetic attributes of an automated transportation system—Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) in an urban setting. The goal of the study was to understand the perceived visual aesthetic quality of the PRT within diverse architectural and natural elements composing the town's main spatial and visual structure and to separate the various components that determine a cumulative visual experience. We utilized human perceptual judgments as indicators of visual aesthetic quality, and referred to a psychophysical method to assess the perceived visual aesthetic quality of the scenes. Perceptions were captured using a rank ordering process of most and least preferred scenes on presented panels and responses were analyzed using correlation and regression statistical techniques. Results indicate that specific design attributes such as pillar shape or size, and type of fascia, did not emerge as significantly influencing public perception, while the relationship between automated structure and vehicular infrastructure, and the position of the observer are particularly important. Overall findings indicate that studies conducted on automated transportation should consider the effect of context on the perception of the system. The findings improve our understanding of visual strengths and weaknesses of automated transportation structures within the urban environment and can be useful in the planning for similar transportation systems.