Acceptance of Highly Automated Vehicles: Weak or Absent Relationships with Desire for Control, Illusion of Control, and Driving Styles

Participants (including an online sample and college undergraduates) completed a highly automated vehicle acceptance scale as well as: (1) the Multi-dimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI); (2) the Desirability of Control Scale; (3) an illusion of control scale; (4) an accident concern self-rating, (5) a speed questionnaire; (6) an accidents, violations and close-calls questionnaire; (7) a driving skill self-rating; and (8) a demographic questionnaire. Exploratory analyses showed that relationships between acceptance factors and other variables generally were weak or absent, although self-rated familiarity with automation technology and education may predict acceptance. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.