Intention to use a fully automated car: Attitudes and a priori acceptability

Payre, William; Cestac, Julien; Delhomme, Patricia · 2014 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2014.04.009

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Summary

This study investigates the a priori acceptability, attitudes, and intention to use fully automated driving (FAD) systems, defined as vehicles capable of handling longitudinal control, lateral control, and maneuvers without driver intervention. While previous research focused on partially automated systems, this work addresses the gap regarding full automation (NHTSA levels 3–4). The authors aimed to determine if drivers would accept FAD and whether this intention could be predicted by attitudes, contextual acceptability, personality traits (sensation seeking and locus of control), and gender. The research employed a two-phase design. First, two pilot studies were conducted to develop measurement tools. The first pilot involved five semi-directive interviews to identify favorable conditions and potential misuses, such as driving while impaired. The second pilot utilized a questionnaire with 45 participants to refine items through factor analysis, identifying two key dimensions of FAD acceptability: contextual acceptability and interest in using automation while impaired. The main study then surveyed 421 French drivers via an online questionnaire. Participants completed scales measuring FAD acceptability, attitudes, driving-related sensation seeking (DRSS), locus of control, and demographic variables. Results indicated that 68.1% of participants a priori accepted FAD. Preferred use cases included highways (62.3%), traffic congestion (60%), and automatic parking (67.2%), while built-up areas were least preferred (29%). Notably, 70.6% of participants expressed interest in using FAD while impaired (e.g., under the influence of alcohol or medication), despite acknowledging legal responsibility. Hierarchical linear regression analysis revealed that the model accounted for 67.1% of the variance in intention to use FAD. The strongest predictors were attitudes toward FAD and contextual acceptability. Driving-related sensation seeking and gender also significantly predicted intention, with men showing higher interest than women. However, the effect of gender became non-significant once contextual acceptability was included in the model. Locus of control and age did not significantly predict intention. The findings suggest that while general attitudes toward FAD are positive, there is a significant risk of misuse, particularly regarding impaired driving. The study highlights that intention to use is driven primarily by perceived utility in specific contexts and general attitudes rather than personality traits alone. These results imply that future development and regulation of FAD must address the potential for drivers to delegate control in unsafe conditions, such as when impaired, and consider the specific contexts in which users are most likely to adopt the technology.

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Topics

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• acceptance adoption
• trust calibration
• automation
• automation surprise
• situational awareness
• driverless ads

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: self report data
• Theoretical Contribution: conceptual framework, computational model