A Technology Acceptance Model for Near-Elderly Autonomous Driving Based on Hybrid PLS-SEM: Investigating Perceived Risks, Behavioural Inertia, and Personalised Adaptation

This data was collected online to examine factors influencing the acceptance of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) among the near-elderly group. Building upon the original Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model (including performance expectation, effort expectation, social influence, and behavioural intention), three new variables - perceived risk, behavioural inertia, and personalised adaptation - were incorporated considering the characteristics of elderly populations. The study revealed that perceived risk emerged as the key negative determinant of acceptance (β=-0.283, p<0.001). Its inhibitory effect on decision-making surpassed both performance expectation and intelligent adaptation. Personalised adaptation (β=0.214, p<0.001) and performance expectation (β=0.207, p<0.001) served as primary positive drivers. Additionally, social influence (β=0.156, p=0.005) and effort expectation (β=0.157, p=0.001) facilitated adoption through intergenerational support and technological ease-of-use. The traditionally hypothesized effect of behavioural inertia was not supported (p=0.14).