  Connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) will greatly impact the lives of
individuals with visual impairments, but how they differ in expectations
compared to sighted individuals is not clear. The present research reports
results based on survey responses from 114 visually impaired participants and
117 panel recruited participants without visual impairments, from Germany.
Their attitudes towards autonomous vehicles and their expectations for
consequences of wide-spread adoption of CAVs are assessed. Results indicate
significantly more positive CAV attitudes in participants with visual
impairments compared to those without visual impairments. Mediation analyses
indicate that visually impaired individuals' more positive CAV attitudes
(compared to sighted individuals') are largely explained by higher hopes for
independence, and more optimistic expectations regarding safety and
sustainability. Policy makers should ensure accessibility without sacrificing
goals for higher safety and lower ecological impact to make CAVs an acceptable
inclusive mobility solution.
