The Road to Acceptance: A Theory of Planned Behavior Analysis of Indonesian Public Intentions Towards Autonomous Vehicles

The integration of autonomous vehicles (AVs) into modern transportation systems is an inevitable development, highlighting the need to explore the factors influencing public acceptance of AVs. Although numerous studies have examined user acceptance of AVs in developed nations, the investigation in developing countries remains significantly limited. Drawing upon the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study investigated the factors influencing individuals’ intentions to use two different levels of autonomy: partial (level 2) and full (level 5). Data were gathered from two separate sample sets through an online survey questionnaire, resulting in 640 participants with partial AVs (PAVs) and 593 with fully AVs (FAVs). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis indicated moderate predictive power for the TPB models in both cases. All TPB constructs significantly predicted future intentions for both types of AVs. Specifically, the subjective norms construct was the strongest predictor for partial autonomy intention, while perceived behavioral control was the strongest predictor for fully AVs. The findings provide insights into the underlying behavioral and control beliefs that can enhance the public acceptance of AVs within a developing country’s context. They also emphasize the similarities and differences in the public’s perceptions of the two distinct levels of vehicle automation.