Background
Gårda autonom is a full-scale demonstration of a self-driving electric bus operating on route 169 in Gothenburg. A research project, funded by Vinnova and coordinated by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden aims to leverage the demonstration to verify and address three interrelated barriers for users’ adoption of autonomous public transport: technological discomfort, sharing anxiety, and authority vacuum.

• Read more about the Gårda autonomy pilot here: https://www.vasttrafik.se/reseplanering/mer-om-reseplanering/garda-autonom/
• Read more about the user research project here: https://www.ri.se/sv/expertisomraden/projekt/mot-inkluderande-och-tillgangliga-automatiserade-bussar

Description
We are looking for one or two master’s students to conduct a user study as part of this ongoing research. The focus will be on data collection and analysis related to user experiences and attitudes, highlighting comfort, safety perception, and expectations. It will, moreover, provide recommendations for improving user experience and trust. The main tasks include:

• Conduct on-board surveys or interviews, and possibly focus groups with passengers using the autonomous bus
• Perform data analysis (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods)
• Generate ideas on how to improve and/or complement trialed concepts (such as on-board signage and information) for making autonomous buses accessible and inclusive

Expected skills

• Conversational proficiency in Swedish, with the ability to read and write, is a requirement as many of the users being interviewed or participating will speak Swedish.
• Working proficiency in English is meriting.
• Experience in survey design, user research, or behavioral analysis is meriting.

Terms

• Start time: January 2026
• Scope: 30hp
• Location: Data collection will take place in Gothenburg. Access to a shared desk at a RISE office in Gothenburg will be provided. Options to partially work remotely.
• Supervision: Co-supervision will be provided by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden (Mobility in Transformation unit), while the students’ university will be responsible for main supervision.
• Compensation: For an approved thesis project worth 30 credits, RISE will pay a compensation of 39,990 SEK if one student and 30,000 SEK per student if more than one student.

We look forward to receiving your application!
To know more, please contact Sigma Dolins (sigma.dolins@ri.se). Applications should include a CV, recent grades, and examples of user studies if possible. Candidates are encouraged to send in their application as soon as possible but at the latest by the 13th of December 2025. Suitable applicants will be interviewed as soon as applications are received.