Explanations and Expectations

Trust is a vital determinant of acceptance of automated vehicles (AVs) and expectations and explanations are often at the heart of any trusting relationship. Once expectations have been violated, explanations are needed to mitigate the damage. This study introduces the importance of timing of explanations in promoting trust in AVs. We present the preliminary results of a within-subjects experimental study involving eight participants exposed to four AV driving conditions (i.e. 32 data points). Preliminary results show a pattern that suggests that explanations provided before the AV takes actions promote more trust than explanations provided afterward.