The formation of initial trust by potential passengers of self-driving taxis

Abstract

Despite a current level of uncertainty, taxi service companies are incorporating autonomous cars in their services. This study examines factors influencing consumers' initial trust in autonomous taxis to extend trust model research and develop a new model in autonomous taxis. The new model examines the influence of trust base factors and subjective norms on three constructs. It assesses eight trust base factors of cognitive, personality, calculative, and institutional categories. Findings indicate that faith in intelligent machines, calculative cost/benefit perception, perceived societal benefits, organizational situation normality, and technology structural assurance are potential indicators of consumers' trusting beliefs in this context. Data was collected from undergraduate students and future research should test the model with other populations to determine if differences among groups exist. The study makes significant contributions to both theory and practice by extending the initial trust model and examining trusting factors in the context of autonomous taxis.