From driver assistance to fully-autonomous: examining consumer acceptance of autonomous vehicle technologies

The purpose of this paper is to inform researchers who are examining the adoption of autonomous vehicle technology and to provide marketing insights for developers and manufacturers of such vehicles and their ancillary technologies.

This study assesses consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions regarding autonomous vehicles (AV) by applying the consumer version of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2). We validate the model through a behavioral research study (n = 1,154).

The findings suggest that attitude toward AV is primarily formed through performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and hedonic motivation. Furthermore, the level of autonomy has limited effects on attitude.

This is the first study to examine attitudes toward AV through the theoretical lens of UTAUT2. Additionally, this study provides insights into consumer perceptions and the corresponding effects on attitude by moderating the level of autonomy.