How to Improve the Acceptance of Autonomous Driving Technology: Effective Elements Identified on the Basis of the Kano Model

Abstract

Innovative sociotechnical change is forthcoming because of autonomous driving; however, only a few studies have focused on the acceptance of this technology, which is not up to social expectation. In this study, we present and validate a research framework on the basis of the Kano model to identify the effective acceptance elements for autonomous driving technology. By collecting and analyzing the survey data of 187 people, it was confirmed that the elements of acceptance for autonomous driving technology can be classified according to the Kano attributes. This means that these acceptance elements should be resolved with priority in order to secure the acceptance. Legal policies and ethical guidelines are identified as top priorities for ensuring the acceptance of autonomous driving. Traffic congestion, situational awareness, malfunction prevention, and fatigue/stress relief must be addressed as utmost priorities. The framework and results from this study can be used to establish efficient strategies for developing autonomous driving technologies according to the user requirement levels.