Thesis Defense Announcement

The Herff College of Engineering announces the Final Thesis Defense of

Jesse Simpson

for the Degree of Master of Science

July 6, 2018 at 2:00 PM in Engineering Science Building, Room 114

Advisor: Sabyasachee Mishra

The Adoption of Connected Autonomous Vehicles and Other Innovations by Freight Transportation Organizations

ABSTRACT: This Thesis presents a disaggregate market penetration model for freight transportation organizations adopting connected autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology and other transportation innovations. Innovation adoption research has largely ignored organizational adoption, and little work has been done to understand or predict the adoption of innovations by freight organizations. Therefore, numerous innovation adoption theoretical and methodological approaches are examined. The theoretical approaches identified include the theory of diffusion of innovations, the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, and the technology acceptance model. Methodological approaches for innovation adoption modeling include system dynamics, the Bass model, cellular automata modeling, and agent-based modeling. Each of these approaches is compared and contrasted to determine which strategies are most appropriate for freight organizational adoption, with connected autonomous vehicles as a case study. A cellular automata model is generated using the theory of the diffusion of innovations and the principles of the Bass model. Due to the fact that CAVs have not yet been made available for purchase, a number of similar innovations are used as proxies for innovation-specific data. The model allows for heterogeneity between organizations by allowing certain model parameters to vary depending on the size of the organizations. The results of the Thesis are predictions for the adoption rate of CAVs by freight organizations within Shelby County, TN, a demonstration of the impact of organizational heterogeneity on innovation adoption rates, and a discussion of the benefits and drawbacks of innovation adoption theoretical and methodological approaches.