Use of navigation systems and consequences for travel behavior

Abstract

On the European market, navigation systems gain growing importance for the support of travelers on both their everyday and special travels. So they have the possibility to contribute to the optimization of transport. This assumes that navigation systems are not just a part of the (standard) equipment of cars or households, but have to be used frequently. Therefore a broad acceptance of navigation systems has to exist. Following a scheme of acceptance, which understands acceptance as a dynamic process, the availability and use of navigation systems as well as the influence on travel behavior and travelers’ references while using a navigation system are analyzed in this article. The report on a study made by DLR-Institute of Transport Research gives an insight about acceptance and current use of navigation systems. It deals with a nationwide online survey among 1.311 navigation system users, addressing particularly the questions in which situations the navigation system is utilized, by which frequency and how people use to react to the information they get. It will be pointed out that the acceptance of navigation devices goes beyond the decision to buy them. It is evident that navigation devices are used and followed to a high extent. This is particularly true for less routine purposes, such as vacation and business trips. Altogether the use of navigation system has primarily influence on travel behavior in terms of choice and scheduling of certain routes.