The central role of trust and perceived risk in the acceptance of autonomous vehicles in an integrated UTAUT model

The adoption of autonomous vehicles (AVs) is crucial for the future of transport. Among their many benefits, one of the most important is increased safety. Yet a key barrier to consumer adoption is the perceived level of risk. In our research, we explore this controversy within the framework of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model including two key variables: trust and perceived risk. Based on a survey, we tested our hypotheses using structural equation modelling (SEM). Our results suggest that positive perceptions of technology attributes alone-performs well, no effort to use, supported-are not sufficient for acceptance; it is also essential that these attributes increase trust in AVs and thereby reduce perceived risk. If potential users have confidence in AVs and thus perceive a reduced risk, the perceived benefits of the technology can be significantly enhanced. We draw implications for theory and practice from our results, concentrating mainly on the potential to enhance trust in AVs.