What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to explore how cultural differences affect trust in autonomous vehicles and their operation metrics.

March 25, 2026Open Access

Analysis of Cross-Cultural Trust and Vehicle Operation Metrics for Self-Driving Cars

Key Points

The aim is to explore how cultural differences affect trust in autonomous vehicles and their operation metrics.
Conducted a 57-question survey across the United States, Germany, and Panama.
Validated five scales related to driving behavior and trust in AI through confirmatory factor analysis.
Performed multi-group measurement invariance testing to identify cross-cultural differences.
Participants preferred a more conservative driving style in self-driving cars compared to their own.
Higher trust in AI correlated with acceptance of aggressive driving styles in self-driving vehicles.
Notable cross-cultural differences emerged, particularly with Panama differing from the U.S. and Germany on several metrics.

Abstract

This paper presents an exploratory cross-cultural analysis of autonomous vehicle expectations through a 57-question survey distributed in the United States (n = 50), Germany (n = 66), and Panama (n = 41). Five scales are presented and validated: Driving Behavior Aggressiveness (DBA), Self-Driving Car Aggressiveness (SDCA), Artificial Intelligence (AI) Trust (AIT), AI Driving Mechanics Trust (AIDMT), and Driver Safety Score (DSS). Each scale is validated via confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group measurement invariance testing. Results show that drivers prefer a self-driving car driving style more conservative than their own; however, participants who are more trustful of AI show DBA–SDCA equivalence, consistent with acceptance of a driving style comparable to their own. Significant cross-cultural differences emerge, with Panama diverging from the United States and Germany on DBA, SDCA, AIDMT, and DSS; these country effects largely persist after controlling for demographics. These findings suggest that self-driving car behaviors should be tailored to regional expectations and passenger trust profiles to improve adoption.

Analysis of Cross-Cultural Trust and Vehicle Operation Metrics for Self-Driving Cars

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Abstract

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