Driving a safer future: Exploring cross-country perspectives in automated vehicle adoption by considering cyber risks, liability, and data concerns

Abstract

There is a significant lack of comprehensive research that systematically examines public perceptions of liability (related to cyber risks), consumer data, and how these factors influence the adoption of automated vehicles (AVs). To fill this knowledge gap, the authors' research used a survey of 2062 adults across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the US to develop a scale for Liability, Data concerns, Data sharing and Patching and updates. This analytical approach employed various statistical methods to analyze the data (summarizing, finding patterns, measuring relationships). The results indicate that 70% of respondents express concerns about AV liability based on cyber risks, highlighting a significant level of liability anxiety. Individuals with high liability concerns also exhibit heightened concerns about AV data, are less comfortable sharing AV data, and display lower intent to adopt AVs. Conversely, individuals comfortable with data sharing are more willing to engage in patching and express a greater intent to adopt AVs. Interestingly, individuals with AV data concerns do not exhibit a negative correlation with their intent to adopt AVs. Additionally, those willing for patches also show a stronger intent to adopt AVs, challenging the notion that software updates hinder AV adoption.