Effects of Demographic Characteristics on Trust in Driving Automation

With the successful introduction of advanced driver assistance systems, vehicles with driving automation technologies have begun to be released onto the market. Because the role of human drivers during automated driving may be different from the role of drivers with assistance systems, it is important to determine how general users consider such new technologies. The current study has attempted to consider driver trust, which plays a critical role in forming users’ technology acceptance. In a driving simulator experiment, the demographic information of 56 drivers (50% female, 64% student, and 53% daily driver) was analyzed with respect to Lee and Moray’s three dimensions of trust: purpose, process, and performance. The statistical results revealed that female drivers were more likely to rate higher levels of trust than males, and non-student drivers exhibited higher levels of trust than student drivers. However, no driving frequency-related difference was observed. The driver ratings of each trust dimension were neutral to moderate, but purpose-related trust was lower than process- and performance-related trust. Additionally, student drivers exhibited a tendency to distrust automation compared to non-student drivers. The findings present a potential perspective of driver acceptability of current automated vehicles.