An Automated Vehicle (AV) like Me? The Impact of Personality Similarities and Differences between Humans and AVs

TL;DR

This study investigates how personality similarities and differences between humans and autonomous vehicles influence perceptions of safety, revealing nuanced effects based on specific personality traits and their levels.

Contribution

It provides empirical insights into how personality alignment between humans and AVs affects safety perceptions, highlighting conditions under which similarities or dissimilarities are beneficial.

Findings

Similar personalities increase safety perception when traits are high.

Dissimilarities boost safety perception when AV traits surpass human traits.

Personality traits influence safety perception in complex, trait-dependent ways.

Abstract

To better understand the impacts of similarities and dissimilarities in human and AV personalities we conducted an experimental study with 443 individuals. Generally, similarities in human and AV personalities led to a higher perception of AV safety only when both were high in specific personality traits. Dissimilarities in human and AV personalities also yielded a higher perception of AV safety, but only when the AV was higher than the human in a particular personality trait.