Public acceptance of driverless buses: An extended UTAUT2 model with anthropomorphic perception and empathy

The sustainable transportation strategy emphasizes the enormous potential of driverless buses and enables their gradual integration into society over the coming decade. Therefore, it is crucial to cultivate public acceptance of driverless buses. This study is based on the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) and empathy theory. The structural equation modeling (SEM) method was used to analyze valid survey responses from 852 participants residing in China. Both the UTAUT2 factors and the anthropomorphic perception components independently predicted the public acceptance of driverless buses. This study indicates that future campaigns promoting driverless buses should highlight not only their functional value but also their perceived socioemotional value. Considering users’ psychological characteristics (such as empathy and communal traits) can help improve the travel experience, accelerate the transition to emerging innovative technologies, and achieve the potential benefits of intelligent and sustainable transportation.