Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
JOURNAL OF TURKISH STUDIES, sa.20, ss.63-77, 2025 (Hakemli Dergi)
The term "autonomous vehicles" is
also used interchangeably with "driverless vehicles" or "robotic
vehicles." The most fundamental characteristic of these vehicles is their
capacity to navigate roads autonomously, perceive their surroundings
independently, and require minimal or no human input. The objective of this study was to gain insight into the thoughts and
feelings of Turkish road users towards autonomous vehicles, employing both
quantitative and qualitative techniques. The study included
93 road users. Prior to the start of the study, ethics committee approval was
obtained. An online questionnaire comprising dichotomous
and open-ended questions was employed to collate the data. The collected data
were summarized using frequency tables and percentages and evaluated using
thematic analysis and content analysis. The qualitative analysis of the data
collected from the participants involved a detailed examination of their
feelings and thoughts using techniques such as thematic and content analysis.
The results of the thematic analysis of both public and private autonomous
vehicles indicate the presence of four primary themes: perspectives, benefits,
harms, and emotions. The results of the content analysis indicated that
participants held more favorable views regarding autonomous public transport
vehicles than autonomous private vehicles. The most prevalent emotional responses
among participants in relation to autonomous vehicles are trust and mistrust.
The subthemes of "risky" and "passivisation of individuals"
were identified as contributing to the potential harms associated with
autonomous vehicles. The number of autonomous vehicles in traffic environment
is steadily increasing. These vehicles are expected to make significant
contributions, particularly in reducing traffic accidents caused by human
error. However, despite their potential positive impacts on traffic safety, it
is also thought that they could lead to the emergence of various problems. The
current study offers a comprehensive examination of road users thoughts and
feelings pertaining to autonomous vehicles.