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August 19, 2025Open Access

Revolutionising autonomous vehicles: inspiring consumers in the age of Industry 4.0 technologies

FMFraser McLeayUniversity of Sheffield HOHossein OlyaKyung Hee University JLJessica LichyAgricultural Marketing Service

Key Points

Trust significantly reduces consumer resistance to adopting autonomous vehicles, promoting acceptance and positive perception.
In a survey of 671 consumers in Australia and the USA, trust and inspiration were identified as key factors affecting adoption behavior.
Theoretical framework developed incorporates psychological aspects of AV adoption like benefits and adoption difficulty.
Insights from this study inform marketing strategies aimed at encouraging consumer inspiration and easing resistance to AVs.

Abstract

Advances in AI and Industry 4.0 technologies are reshaping society, yet consumer resistance to innovations like autonomous vehicles (AVs) remains significant. Despite the proven benefits of fully autonomous vehicles, adoption lags. This study addresses gaps in AV adoption research by developing a sequential theoretical framework to explore the psychological relationships between AV stressors, benefits, trust, adoption difficulty, and consumer resistance. Grounded in trust, JTBD theory, and inspiration theories, the model was tested on 671 consumers in Australia and the USA, revealing that trust and inspiration play a crucial role in reducing resistance. Notably, inspired consumers exhibit lower resistance, suggesting a focus on AV benefits to foster inspiration and facilitate adoption. The study's findings have practical implications for promoting AV adoption, highlighting the pivotal role of trust and inspiration in reducing consumer resistance. Marketers and policymakers can benefit from this research by designing strategies that inspire consumers and ease adoption barriers.

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