Investigating user acceptance of fully autonomous vehicles in MENA region

IF 4.4 2区工程技术 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, APPLIED

Transportation Research Part F-Traffic Psychology and Behaviour Pub Date : 2025-07-16 DOI:10.1016/j.trf.2025.07.017

Ahmad Ghaith, Huimin Ma, Xiu-Hao Ding

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Fully autonomous vehicles (FAVs) have revolutionized the transportation systems globally. While there are numerous concerns about their safety, embracing these advancements can lead to a future in which mobility is more accessible and sustainable. This research investigates the acceptance of FAVs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), addressing a significant gap in literature that has predominantly focused on Western contexts. This research adopts a mixed methods approach, combining qualitative focus groups in study 1 with quantitative surveys of 339 participants across six MENA countries in study 2, offering a comprehensive methodological and analytical framework of FAVs acceptance. The focus group discussions informed extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model with critical safety-related constructs. The research reveals the socio-cultural factors shaping FAVs acceptance, including family safety priorities, religious considerations, and community perspectives. Performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, effort expectancy, and social influence significantly impact FAVs acceptance, while perceived risk, privacy concerns, and safety perceptions introduce critical barriers. We found significant variations in technological acceptance across the regional context. This research highlights the need for technology developers, policymakers, and automotive manufacturers to tailor autonomous technologies to diverse socio-cultural contexts, environmental challenges, and infrastructural conditions. Fostering public trust requires targeted education and transparent communication strategies to balance innovation with cultural sensitivity.

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调查中东和北非地区用户对全自动驾驶汽车的接受程度

全自动驾驶汽车（fav）彻底改变了全球的交通系统。尽管人们对它们的安全性有很多担忧，但拥抱这些进步可以带来一个出行更方便、更可持续的未来。本研究调查了中东和北非地区（MENA）对fav的接受程度，解决了主要关注西方背景的文献中的重大空白。本研究采用混合方法，将研究1中的定性焦点小组与研究2中对六个中东和北非国家的339名参与者的定量调查相结合，提供了一个综合的fav接受度方法和分析框架。焦点小组讨论告知扩展关键安全相关结构的技术接受和使用统一理论（UTAUT）模型。研究揭示了社会文化因素对家庭安全的影响，包括家庭安全优先事项、宗教考虑和社区观点。性能期望、促进条件、努力期望和社会影响显著地影响fav的接受程度，而感知风险、隐私关注和安全感知则引入了关键障碍。我们发现，不同地区的技术接受程度存在显著差异。这项研究强调了技术开发者、政策制定者和汽车制造商需要根据不同的社会文化背景、环境挑战和基础设施条件定制自动驾驶技术。培养公众信任需要有针对性的教育和透明的沟通策略，以平衡创新与文化敏感性。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Transportation Research Part F-Traffic Psychology and Behaviour Multiple-

CiteScore

7.60

自引率

14.60%

发文量

239

审稿时长

71 days

期刊介绍： Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour focuses on the behavioural and psychological aspects of traffic and transport. The aim of the journal is to enhance theory development, improve the quality of empirical studies and to stimulate the application of research findings in practice. TRF provides a focus and a means of communication for the considerable amount of research activities that are now being carried out in this field. The journal provides a forum for transportation researchers, psychologists, ergonomists, engineers and policy-makers with an interest in traffic and transport psychology.