Psychological structure of human trust toward autonomous vehicles, using structural equation model

This study aimed to validate the influence of latent variables on human trust in autonomous vehicles and elucidate the underlying psychological framework. A survey with 114 queries, drawn from previous studies on trust factors, was conducted online, garnering 195 valid responses. Employing correlation and factor analysis, 51 queries were identified as significantly impacting trust levels. A structural equation model incorporating these 51 variables was constructed, revealing five higher-level psychological constructs: "Interpersonal," "System Feature," "Risk Perception," "Behavioral Intention," and "Trust," each comprising sub-factors derived from associated queries. Notably, the "Interpersonal" construct exhibited the greatest influence on "Behavioral Intention" and "Trust," while "Risk Perception" showed a negative correlation with trust, indicating higher perceived risk diminishes trust. The findings highlight the importance of understanding user interpersonal characteristics in enhancing trust in autonomous vehicles. Unlike previous studies focusing on individual variables, this research unveiled a comprehensive psychological structure by categorizing variables, factors, and constructs hierarchically. The developed model facilitates comprehension, prediction, and enhancement of user trust, guiding the development of tailored trust-fostering strategies and interventions for specific user groups and contexts.