Technology Acceptance Modeling based on User Experience for Autonomous Vehicles

Objective: The purpose of this study was to precede the acceptance study based on automation steps and user experience that was lacked in the past study on the core technology of autonomous vehicle, ADAS. The first objective was to construct the acceptance model of ADAS technology that is the core technology, and draw factors that affect behavioral intention through user experience-based evaluation by applying driving simulator. The second one was to see the change of factors on automation step of autonomous vehicle through the UX/UA score. Background: The number of vehicles with the introduction of ADAS is increasing, and it caused change of interaction between vehicle and driver as automation is being developed on the particular drive factor. For this reason, it is becoming important to study the technology acceptance on how driver can actively accept giving up some parts of automated drive operation and handing over the authority to vehicle. Method: We organized the study model and items through literature investigation and the scenario according to the 4 stages of automation of autonomous vehicle, and preceded acceptance assessment using driving simulator. Total 68 men and woman were participated in this experiment. Results: We drew results of Performance Expectancy (PE), Social Influence (SI), Perceived Safety (PS), Anxiety (AX), Trust (T) and Affective Satisfaction (AS) as the factors that affect Behavioral Intention (BI). Also the drawn factors shows that UX/UA score has a significant difference statistically according to the automation steps of autonomous vehicle, and UX/UA tends to move up until the stage 2 of automation, and at stage 3 it goes down to the lowest level, and it increases a little or stays steady at stage 4. Conclusion and Application: First, we presented the acceptance model of ADAS that is the core technology of autonomous vehicle, and it could be the basis of the future acceptance study of the ADAS technology as it verifies through user experience-based assessment using driving simulator. Second, it could be helpful to the appropriate ADAS development in the future as drawing the change of factors and predicting the acceptance level according to the automation stages of autonomous vehicle through UX/UA score, and it could also grasp and avoid the problem that affect the acceptance level. It is possible to use these study results as tools to test validity of function before ADAS offering company launches the products. Also it will help to prevent the problems that could be caused when applying the autonomous vehicle technology, and to establish technology that is easily acceptable for drivers, so it will improve safety and convenience of drivers.