Autonomous Last-Mile Logistics in Emerging Markets: A Study on Consumer Acceptance

Background: Rapid urbanization has intensified the challenges of freight transport, particularly in last-mile (LM) delivery, leading to rising costs and environmental externalities. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have emerged as a promising innovation to address these issues. While much of the existing literature emphasizes business and operational perspectives, this study focuses on the acceptance of AVs from the standpoint of e-consumers—individuals who make purchases via digital platforms—in an emerging market context. Methods: Grounded in an extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2), which is specifically suited to consumer-focused technology adoption research, this study incorporates five constructs tailored to AV adoption. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was applied to survey data collected from 304 e-consumers in Northeast Brazil. Results: The findings reveal that performance expectancy, hedonic motivation, and environmental awareness exert significant positive effects on acceptance and intention to use AVs for LM delivery. Social influence shows a weaker, yet still positive, impact. Importantly, price sensitivity exhibits a minimal effect, suggesting that while consumers are generally cost-conscious, perceived value may outweigh price concerns in early adoption stages. Conclusions: These results offer valuable insights for policymakers and logistics providers aiming to implement consumer-oriented, cost-effective AV solutions in LM delivery, particularly in emerging economies. The findings emphasize the need for strategies that highlight the practical, emotional, and environmental benefits of AVs to foster market acceptance.