Effects of brand and brand trust on initial trust in fully automated driving system

Cui, Zixin; Tu, Nianzhi; Itoh, Makoto · 2023 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284654

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Summary

This study investigates the factors influencing drivers’ initial trust in fully automated driving systems (SAE Level 5), specifically examining the roles of automobile brands and drivers’ trust in those brands. The research is motivated by the necessity to calibrate user trust appropriately before Level 5 ADS enters practical use, as inappropriate trust levels can lead to disuse or misuse, hindering social acceptance and safety. While prior research has focused on analytic information like reliability data, this study addresses a gap in understanding how analogical information, such as brand identity and reputation, shapes initial trust before direct interaction with the technology. The researchers conducted two online surveys with Japanese drivers. The first survey involved 206 participants who evaluated nine randomly selected automobile brands using a Structural Equation Model (SEM). Participants rated their trust in the brands and their initial trust in a hypothetical Level 5 ADS developed by each brand using established Likert scales. The second survey utilized the Free Word Association Test (FWAT) to identify the cognitive structures drivers associate with different brands, aiming to determine which brand characteristics correlate with higher initial trust in automation. The results confirmed that drivers’ trust in automobile brands has a significant positive impact on their initial trust in Level 5 ADS. This relationship demonstrated invariance across gender and age groups, indicating its robustness among different demographics. Furthermore, the study found significant differences in initial trust levels across different automobile brands, supporting the hypothesis that brand identity influences trust calibration. The FWAT analysis revealed that drivers who held higher trust in both the brand and the ADS possessed richer and more varied cognitive structures regarding the brand. These cognitive associations included specific characteristics that distinguished high-trust brands from those with lower trust ratings. These findings underscore the critical role of brand reputation and personality in the formation of initial trust in autonomous vehicles. The study concludes that automobile manufacturers must consider brand perception as a key factor in calibrating user trust, as brand trust serves as a foundational analogical cue for users lacking direct experience with Level 5 technology. By understanding the cognitive bases of brand trust, developers can better manage public expectations and promote appropriate trust calibration, thereby facilitating the safe and effective social implementation of fully automated driving systems.

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Topics

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• trust in automation foundations
• trust calibration
• acceptance adoption
• automation