Propensity to trust technology and subjective, but not objective, knowledge predict trust in advanced driver assistance systems

Trust has been shown to influence whether drivers use advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) appropriately, and thus understanding the factors influencing trust in ADAS may help inform interventions to support appropriate use. We surveyed 369 drivers to investigate the factors that predict trust in ADAS for current users. Participants were required to have experience using ADAS, specifically systems that simultaneously control longitudinal and lateral movement of the vehicle (participants reported using adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist systems at the same time in their vehicle at least 1–4 times per month). In addition to assessing trust, the survey included questions to assess objective knowledge about ADAS limitations, self-reported understanding of ADAS (i.e., how correct and complete drivers thought their understanding of ADAS was), number of methods they had previously used to learn about ADAS, frequency of ADAS use, familiarity with technology, propensity to trust technology, and demographics. Regression results showed that self-reported understanding, but not objective knowledge, predicted trust in ADAS, with higher self-reported understanding being associated with higher trust. Self-reported understanding was not correlated with objective knowledge; participants rated their self-reported understanding highly, but only identified an average of 42% of the system limitations included in the survey. Propensity to trust technology was also a significant predictor of trust in ADAS, with higher propensity to trust technology in general associated with higher trust in ADAS. These findings suggest that interventions aimed at supporting appropriate trust in ADAS could be designed to increase drivers’ awareness of potential gaps in their understanding and adjust expectations of ADAS for those with a high propensity to trust technology.