Japanese drivers' acceptance investigation of the driver-vehicle interaction system

This descriptive study investigated respondents' acceptance of driver-vehicle interaction systems by modifying the technology acceptance model using user experience concepts. A questionnaire survey including 15 variables was conducted to examine six constructs proposed in the modified technology acceptance model: perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, satisfaction, attitude, interactive media, and user interface. 495 samples aged from 21 to 82 years old (48.7 ± 12.5 years) including 279 males and 216 females were collected for data analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated the reliability and validity of the model using several indices. Correlations between constructs were proven using path analysis (p < 0.05). Then, the influences of drivers' gender and age on the constructs were analyzed using linear regression analysis. Male drivers had higher perceived usefulness and more positive attitudes than female drivers. However, their perceived enjoyment of the system was lower than that of females (p < 0.01). Older age led drivers to prefer a negative attitude toward driver-vehicle interaction systems and dislike utilizing the user interface (p < 0.01). Finally, four implications based on the analysis were proposed to guide the design of driver-vehicle interaction systems. This study clarified the feasibility of the modified technology acceptance model for investigating Japanese driver’s opinions on driver-vehicle interaction systems and provided insights for designing vehicle human-machine interfaces to improve driver acceptance.

Methods
We used a questionnaire survey method to collect respondents' opinions. A questionnaire with 15 variables was designed to present the proposed model, and a Likert scale (1-5) range from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly disagree’ was adopted for all variables.

The ethical committee of the University of Tsukuba approved this study. The approval number is 2021R551-1. Respondents with driving licenses and ages from 20 to 99 can complete the questionnaire.