Educational Background and Gender Differences in the Acceptance of Autonomous Vehicle Technologies: A Large-Scale User Attitude Study from Hungary

The successful integration of autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies into future mobility systems depends not only on technological maturity but also on user acceptance and perceived value. While existing research has identified several demographic determinants of AV acceptance, the role of educational background—particularly differences between humanities and STEM graduates—has received limited attention within the context of user-centred mobility research. This study examines how educational background and gender influence attitudes toward autonomous vehicle technologies using a large-scale survey conducted in Hungary (N = 8663). The analysis combines non-parametric statistical tests with effect size measures, exploratory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling (SEM) to capture both group differences and underlying attitudinal mechanisms. The results indicate no meaningful differences between humanities and STEM graduates in overall acceptance of autonomous vehicles or trust in the technology. Statistically significant differences are observed only in two dimensions: willingness to spend on autonomous driving features and expectations regarding improved travel speed. However, effect size analyses reveal that these differences are negligible in practical terms, indicating substantial overlap in user attitudes. SEM results show that educational background does not directly determine acceptance of autonomous vehicle technologies. Instead, its influence is mediated through three latent attitude dimensions relevant for electric and autonomous mobility adoption: willingness to invest, functional expectations (e.g., time savings and convenience), and safety orientation. Humanities graduates—especially men—exhibit slightly higher financial openness toward autonomous features, whereas STEM graduates place greater emphasis on functional performance. Safety-related attitudes play a central mediating role, with gender-specific patterns. By integrating large-sample effect size interpretation with SEM-based modelling, this study provides a nuanced understanding of user acceptance of autonomous vehicle technologies. The findings suggest that differences between educational groups reflect variations in attitudinal emphasis rather than fundamental divides, offering relevant insights for user-centred AV development, mobility policy design, and communication strategies in the transition toward automated and electric mobility systems.