aPSM-AutoPay

New technologies, products or services (e.g. autonomous driving services) are confronted with the challenge of scaling. Although there are well-known pricing strategies for influencing economies of scale when developing markets (skimming, penetration, outpacing), the ultimate question is always the optimal price that efficiently matches supply and demand.

Known pricing tools differ in complexity, applicability and accuracy. Choice-based conjoint analyses (CBC) enable accurate price measurements, but require extensive amounts of data. Price measurements according to Gabor-Granger are easy to implement, but can only be used for price increases and require a known reference price. They are therefore not suitable for new products. The Price Sensitivity Meter (PSM) according to van Westendorp is also easy to use and can be applied to new products, but does not require extensive amounts of data.

Due to its ease of implementation, the PSM is used in both practical and theoretical contexts. At the same time, the approach is not free from criticism and is subject to constant attempts at further development. The goal of the presented research project is a revision of the PSM according to van Westendorp with application to autonomous driving services. By simplifying the instrument, its use is to be increased in terms of comprehensibility and data quality, with the goal of improved applicability and efficiency. An additional structural equation model will be developed to investigate socio-psychological influences on the willingness to pay for autonomous driving services.

The quasi-experimental research design provides for a survey among students (student sample) with a sample size of n=300. To achieve the target size, a collaboration with the Technical University is planned. The students will be addressed in the form of an online questionnaire at the beginning of the lectures.

The research design comprises a control group and an experimental group. In the control group, willingness to pay is measured using conventional PSM, while in the experimental group it is measured using the updated PSM. In addition to willingness to pay, socio-demographic data and attitude variables are also collected to enable further analysis of attitude-behavior correlations.

The project represents the continuation of current research. The price measurement instrument to be expanded - van Westendorp's Price Sensitivity Meter - was used in three third-party funded projects (2022-2024) carried out by the Mobility Management and Mobility Behavior research group. Initial research results on the topic were presented at the 17th International Conference on Travel Behavior Research (14.7. - 18.7.2024, Vienna) and will be published in August 2028 in the journal Transportation Research A under the title "Investigating willingness-to-pay towards shared e-bikes: A comparison of methods".

The results of the research should first be discussed at a conference (e.g.: BRT, EMAC, CARF) and then published in a German practical experience journal as well as an international journal (e.g.: Internationales Verkehrswesen/ Research in Transportation Business & Management). In addition to the methodological contribution of the research, the applicability of the results (accounting principles of autonomous driving services, influences on the willingness to pay for autonomous driving services) are equivalent in order to ensure connectivity for practice partners. If successfully implemented, the practical experience will receive an easy-to-use and versatile price measurement tool as well as valuable insights into social-psychological aspects of willingness to pay for autonomous driving services.