Replication Data for "Assessing Familiarity Effects on Public Opinion during a Self-Driving Bus Trial"

Disruptive technologies that fundamentally affect markets and society, such as self-driving vehicles, are associated with various positive effects, including environmental benefits due to increased efficiency. These expected benefits may only materialise, however, if such technologies receive sufficient public acceptance. Public acceptance of technology is a necessary precursor of a technology transition. In other contexts, acceptance increased when individuals experienced successful implementation of a trial. Thus, higher acceptance can be expected following implementation, as preliminary concerns prove unfounded and individuals gain familiarity with the new technology. This paper examines citizens’ acceptance of self-driving vehicles. Mainly, I focus on comparing and contrasting acceptance pre- and post-implementation of a self-driving bus service in Switzerland. To gauge acceptance, I conducted a three-wave panel survey using a random sample of residents from three Swiss municipalities between 2018 and 2019. By applying quasi-experimental methods, I can draw causal inference regarding the experience effect with a disruptive technology on acceptance. The results indicate that the experience of an implemented self-driving bus trial does not exert an effect on acceptance. Acceptance levels are, however, at high levels, which also explains the comparably low familiarity effects.