This study aims to understand the impacts of Pokémon GO, a popular location-based augmented reality (AR) mobile gaming app, on route and mode choices. Pokémon GO leverages AR to introduce virtual objects at fixed and dynamic locations that translate through the app interface to incentives in the real world that potentially influence users’ route and mode choices. Its gaming nature and social components can possibly enhance long-term user engagement through applying the characteristics of game elements and providing opportunities for competition, collaboration, companionship, and social reinforcement. An online survey is conducted to collect the self-reported behavior of a group of Pokémon GO users to explore its impacts on the following aspects of travel behavior: (1) the frequency of changing the route to interact with virtual objects; (2) the likelihood of carpooling more instead of driving alone for more in-app collaboration; and (3) the likelihood of shifting mode from drive alone to public transit, walking, and cycling if provided with additional incentives. The ordered survey responses including frequency and likelihood are analyzed using random parameters ordered probit models to account for the unobserved heterogeneity across users and identify subpopulations of travelers who are more susceptible to the influence of Pokémon GO. The modeling results identify four types of variables (attitude and perceptions related to Pokémon GO, app engagement, play style, and sociodemographic characteristics) that affect users’ travel behavior. The results illustrate that such apps with integrated AR, gamification, and social components can be used by policymakers to influence various aspects of travel behavior. The study findings and insights can provide valuable feedback to system operators for designing such apps to dynamically manage traffic in real-time and promote long-term sustainable mode shifts.

本研究旨在了解 Pokémon GO（一种流行的基于位置的增强现实 (AR) 移动游戏应用程序）对路线和模式选择的影响。Pokémon GO 利用 AR 在固定和动态位置引入虚拟对象，通过应用程序界面转化为现实世界中可能影响用户路线和模式选择的激励措施。它的游戏性质和社交成分可以通过应用游戏元素的特征并提供竞争、协作、陪伴和社交强化的机会来增强用户的长期参与度。进行了一项在线调查，收集了一组 Pokémon GO 用户的自我报告行为，以探讨其对旅行行为的以下方面的影响：（1）改变路线以与虚拟物体交互的频率；（2）更多的拼车而不是独自开车以进行更多应用内协作的可能性；(3) 如果提供额外的激励措施，将模式从单独驾驶转变为公共交通、步行和骑自行车的可能性。使用随机参数有序概率模型分析包括频率和可能性在内的有序调查响应，以解释用户之间未观察到的异质性，并确定更容易受到 Pokémon GO 影响的旅行者亚群。建模结果确定了影响用户旅行行为的四种类型的变量（与 Pokémon GO、应用程序参与度、游戏风格和社会人口特征相关的态度和看法）。结果表明，此类应用集成了 AR、游戏化、政策制定者可以利用社会因素来影响旅行行为的各个方面。研究结果和见解可以为系统运营商提供有价值的反馈，以设计此类应用程序以实时动态管理流量并促进长期可持续的模式转变。