Your language drives me nuts! Fostering Acceptance of Autonomous Vehicles

Abstract

The societal integration of autonomous vehicles (AVs) hinges significantly on public acceptance, intricately tied to individuals' emotional responses and perceptions. This study delves into the emotional components influencing AV acceptance among the Spanish population, employing a three-pronged methodological approach: lexical selection tasks, a virtual simulation of AV experience, and a questionnaire. This multi-faceted approach enables exploration beyond conventional attitude measures, tapping into the subtle emotional reactions and lexical choices individuals exhibit in response to AVs. We evaluated participants' acceptance across three domains: knowledge about AVs, perception of autonomous driving, and perceived safety during driving, with a particular focus on lexical-emotional analysis post-simulation exposure. Our findings underscore significant gender disparities in AV acceptance, with women exhibiting less knowledge and comfort towards AV technology. The simulation exposure notably enhanced participants' understanding and elicited more positive lexical-emotional responses post-experience. This study highlights the potential of lexical selection tasks in unearthing the emotional nuances influencing AV perception and acceptance, advocating for a broader approach in studying public acceptance of emerging technologies. The insights from this study provide guidance for devising targeted awareness campaigns and immersive experiences to foster a more favorable public disposition towards AVs, considering demographic variances. Future research should apply this methodological framework to diverse populations to further explore the emotional lexicon and its impact on AV acceptance.