Rethinking Autonomous Vehicle Acceptance: From Reactance to Trust
(A2025-126122)

AUTHORS

Lea-Sophie Angersbach, Technische Universität Braunschweig; Antje Fricke, Technische Universität Braunschweig; Jan Gremmel, Technische Universität Braunschweig; David Woisetschläger, Technische Universität Braunschweig

ABSTRACT

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have the potential to revolutionize mobility by navigating independently, thereby increasing road safety and reducing traffic congestion and CO₂ emissions. Despite this potential, social acceptance remains a significant hurdle due to concerns about safety and loss of control. This study addresses a research gap by incorporating contemporary factors such as reactance and perceived disempowerment into established acceptance models. A sample of 452 respondents was analysed using a structural equation model (SEM). Results indicate that social influence, performance expectancy, trust, and reactance are key determinants of AV acceptance. In contrast, hedonic motivation and effort expectancy seem less relevant. The findings offer valuable insights for refining acceptance models and highlight the need for future research to focus more on the specific challenges posed by AV technology. Marketing strategies could improve acceptance by addressing trust and autonomy loss and targeting innovative users.