Research on the Behavior Influence Mechanism of Users’ Continuous Usage of Autonomous Driving Systems Based on the Extended Technology Acceptance Model and External Factors

Abstract

In recent years, with the advancement of urbanization and the increase in traffic congestion, the demand for autonomous driving has been steadily growing in order to promote sustainable urban development. The evolution of automotive autonomous driving systems significantly influences the progress of sustainable urban development. As these systems advance, user evaluations of their performance vary widely. Autonomous driving systems present both technological advantages and controversies, along with challenges. To foster the development of autonomous driving systems and facilitate transformative changes in urban traffic sustainability, this research aims to explore user behavior regarding the continued use of autonomous driving systems. It is based on an extended technology acceptance model, examining the impacts of user scale, perceived importance, post-experience regret, user driving habits, and external factors on the intention to continue using these systems. The conclusions are as follows. (1) A model design is constructed that uses user scale, perceived importance, and regret after experience as antecedent variables, with user driving habits as a mediating variable to explain the intention to continue using autonomous driving systems, demonstrating a degree of innovation. (2) It is verified that user driving habits are a key factor determining the intention to continue using these systems, highlighting the importance of user habits in the application of autonomous driving systems. (3) Perceived importance significantly affects both user driving habits and the intention to continue using the system, while regret after experience has a significant negative correlation only with habit formation and does not directly affect the intention to continue use, indicating that users are more concerned with the actual functionality and practicality of the system. (4) User scale is shown to indirectly influence the intention to continue using through various pathways, providing a new perspective for related theoretical research. (5) Aside from safety capabilities, other external factors such as economic benefits and technological stability significantly influence the intention to continue using, while the lack of significance for safety capabilities may be due to users trusting their own driving skills in critical moments. (6) The research results offer valuable references for the improvement and promotion of autonomous driving systems, emphasizing the practicality and usability of the system. (7) This study provides a new theoretical framework for the application of habit theory and regret theory in related fields. Therefore, through empirical analysis, this research delves into the key factors influencing the intention to continue using autonomous driving systems, offering certain reference value for the development of autonomous driving systems and contributing to their theoretical development and practical application.