Impact of Brand Trust and Technology Readiness on the Willingness to Use Autonomous Cars in Brazil

This study sought to analyse whether brand trust and technology readiness influence the willingness to use (WTU) autonomous vehicles (AVs) in Brazil. A survey was applied with potential consumers, and the results, based on 213 respondents, indicated that there is a strong correlation between brand trust and WTU AVs of the same brand as well as between technology readiness and WTU AVs. When confronted through multiple linear regression, brand trust played a more relevant role than technology readiness over WTU AVs for the 11 brands tested. When comparing information technology companies (ITCs) and automobile manufacturers, while the first have a higher level of average brand trust, the preference in WTU AVs rests on traditional automakers. Thus, the results of this study may contribute on how brand managers could explore their brands strengths in regard to consumer's trust when such products become available in the future.