Why drivers use in-vehicle technology: The role of basic psychological needs and motivation

With a growing amount of assistance and infotainment systems, drivers' experiences are increasingly affected by in-vehicle technology. Accordingly, to enhance drivers' well-being, the technology should be designed in an enjoyable and safe way with the central goal to provide a positive user experience (UX). To enhance the understanding of the role of psychological needs and motivations in the UX process, the present study investigated which psychological needs are present in driver-vehicle interaction today, how needs are satisfied for different technology types, and how needs are associated with motivation, UX, and acceptance. Therefore, an online study was conducted examining positive and negative experiences with in-vehicle technology (N = 399). Study results revealed that need satisfaction differs for assistance, infotainment, and navigation systems with an increased need satisfaction for positive experiences. In an exploratory bifactor model of general and specific need satisfaction, associations with motivation, UX, the intention to use, and positive affect were explored in a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach. The results highlight that especially the needs for autonomy, system relatedness, relatedness, and competence are associated with the acceptance of in-vehicle technology. Overall, the findings provide insights into the psychological process of technology acceptance while practical implications for the design of in-vehicle technology can be derived.