Workshop Synthesis: Virtual Journeys, Real Decisions–Methodological Frontiers in XR-Enhanced Travel Behavior Research

The workshop explored the application of these technologies for the collection of rich data in virtual experimental settings in travel behavior research. Key themes included evaluating the validity and reliability of XR-collected data, with attention paid to sample representativeness, the complexities of cognitive immersion, and potential technological biases. The novel applications emerging from the associated papers highlighted the utilization of eye-tracking and head-tracking for implicit data collection in immersive environments, as well as the estimation of drivers’ reactions to emergency situations using behavioral and brain data within such settings. The empirical work that was discussed included behavioral indicators of trust toward autonomous vehicles derived from virtual reality surveys, preferences for electric ride-hailing elicited through combined eye-tracking, street-intercept surveys under uncertain electricity prices, investigations into immigrant preferences for urban services and accessibility using immersive virtual reality, and behavioral and physiological responses of children to micromobility travel in multimodal virtual reality setups.