Tapping the Brakes: An Exploratory Survey of Consumers’ Perceptions of Autonomous Vehicles

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the difficulty in measuring consumer acceptance of emergent technologies where artificial intelligence is present in autonomous vehicles (AVs). Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as our theoretical lens, survey data of US adult consumers are used to better understand consumer acceptance of AVs. Results from Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) show that the certainty of product performance and interest are positively related to usage. Surprisingly, the relationship between two variables, internal locus of control and ease of use and usage, was not significant, which could be explained by AVs being self-driving and the ease of use therefore not being important in this context. Internal locus of control was negatively related to willingness to buy, and interest and usage were positively related to willingness to buy. Mediation analysis further explains these relationships. This research calls into question the TAM, long used as a measurement for the acceptance of information systems, as an acceptable model for measuring consumer acceptance where the intent is to purchase technology that contains artificial intelligence.