Transition toward driverless robotaxi: Role of social anxiety, perceived safety, and travel habit

Abstract

Robotaxi services integrate autonomous driving technology with traditional online ride-hailing and can meet the increasing demand for urban transportation. This study analyzed the factors influencing passengers’ intentions to transition from traditional ride-hailing to robotaxi services. Using the stimulus-organism-response framework and theory of planned behavior, we examined social anxiety (social environment anxiety, social performance concern, and stranger interaction avoidance) and technological factors (perceived technical safety and perceived operational safety) as external stimuli affecting individuals’ internal states and behaviors. Data from 510 valid questionnaires collected in China’s first-tier cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen) revealed that social anxiety and perceived safety significantly affected transition intentions. Among the social anxiety variables, social environment anxiety had the strongest influence, followed by social performance concerns and stranger interaction avoidance. Additionally, travel habits emerged as a significant moderator between subjective norms and transition intentions and between perceived behavioral control and both transition intentions and behaviors. The classification of user groups based on levels of social anxiety and travel habits provided valuable insights; for instance, passengers with high social anxiety and weak travel habits were more inclined to transition to robotaxi services. These findings offer practical implications for urban planners and robotaxi service providers to address transportation challenges in rapidly urbanizing areas.