The determinants of acceptability and behavioural intention of automated vehicles – a review
DOI: 10.3917/th.834.0297
archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified
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Summary
This systematic literature review investigates the determinants of public acceptability and behavioral intention regarding Automated Vehicles (AVs), specifically focusing on high levels of automation (SAE Levels 4–5 and GoA4). The research is motivated by the critical necessity of public support for the successful deployment of AVs, which promise benefits such as improved safety and reduced congestion. The authors aim to clarify how the methodology used to study acceptability—specifically the "mode of contact" participants have with the technology—influences the results. This addresses a gap in existing literature, which has largely focused on social acceptability without sufficiently examining how experimental design affects findings. The authors employed the PRISMA methodology to conduct a systematic review of empirical studies published between 2015 and 2019. They searched three major databases (Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) using specific keywords related to acceptance, automation, and transport modes. After rigorous screening based on inclusion and exclusion criteria—such as excluding studies on lower automation levels or those lacking attitudinal variables—the final analysis comprised 113 empirical studies. These studies were categorized by the mode of contact provided to participants: no explanation, written/pictorial description only, simulator experience, or real-world experience. The review analyzed sociodemographic variables, dependent variables (acceptability and behavioral intention), and determinants classified into two groups: "preferences" (projections of use) and "perceptions" (beliefs). The analysis revealed significant heterogeneity in how acceptability and behavioral intention are measured, often conflating the two concepts. Crucially, the mode of contact significantly influenced certain determinants but not others. Determinants within the "preferences" group, as well as specific "perceptions" such as perceived ease of use, usefulness, and general attitudes, remained stable regardless of the contact mode. However, other perception-based determinants, particularly trust and perceived safety, were significantly impacted by the mode of contact. Most notably, the relationship between acceptability and the level of knowledge or perceived control was moderated by the mode of contact, suggesting that direct experience alters how these factors influence acceptance. The study concludes that research favoring direct, real-world experience with AVs is essential for accurately assessing acceptability, as abstract or simulated contacts may yield different results for key psychological determinants like trust. The authors highlight methodological shortcomings in the field, including weak sampling strategies, lack of statistical robustness, and insufficient attention to non-drivers and ethical considerations. They recommend systematic replication of effects, the use of meta-analyses, and improved methodological approaches for studying technologies that are largely unknown to potential users.
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| Stage | Outcome | Tool | Model | Prompt | Attempts | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discover | success | Crossref | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| archive | success | canonical_url | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
| extract | success | cached | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-26 |
| clean | success | clean | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| chunk | success | chunk | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| embed | success | embed | Qwen/Qwen3-Embedding-8B | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| promote | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| summarize | success | llm | qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant | summ-v5 | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
| tag | success | vector_similarity | — | — | 6 | 2026-06-25 |
| verify | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-26; verification: verified.
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