Simulated, Real World, and Preferred Driving Styles: Passenger Perceptions of Robotaxi Aggressiveness and Trust

As Level 4 Robotaxis (RTs) transition into real-world deployment, understanding how passengers perceive driving behavior and form trust becomes increasingly critical. This study investigates the relationship between driving style, perceived aggressiveness, and trust across four urban driving scenarios using simulated RT videos. A total of 153 U.S. participants with prior RT experience evaluated simulated driving styles, their real-world counterparts, and their preferred styles. Results showed that perceived aggressiveness increased systematically with more aggressive driving styles and was significantly associated with decreased trust. Simulated driving styles at lower aggressiveness levels aligned closely with real-world perceptions, while higher levels deviated. Participants preferred more defensive driving styles than those perceived in real-world RTs. These findings suggest that passengers are sensitive to aggressive driving behaviors and may have lower tolerance in Level 4 contexts. The study provides insights for designing trust-aware driving strategies and highlights the importance of aligning system behavior with user expectations.