Exploring the impact of private autonomous vehicles on CBD commuter value of time and mode choice

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) promise to transform daily travel by offering door-to-door journeys and freeing travellers to use their time more effectively. Yet, it remains unclear how people will value travel time in AVs compared with conventional cars, and how parking costs might shape adoption. Using data from Melbourne CBD car commuters, this thesis finds that over half would switch to private AVs, with AV travel time valued significantly lower than conventional car travel. Notably, parking payment arrangement, i.e. self-paid or employer-paid, has significant influence on AV adoption, offering key insights for transport planning and policy in an AV future.