Exploring Demographic Influences on Public Perception and Adoption of Autonomous Vehicles: An Empirical Perspective

Autonomous vehicles constitute a major innovation in the field of transportation, redefining mobility and providing solutions to many of the existing traffic problems, which is why literature seeks to identify the factors influencing their perception and acceptance by the general public. The present research analyzes the impact of demographic factors such as age, education level, professional status on the perception and trust in autonomous vehicles. Existing research studies largely explore technical challenges, empirical studies on the influence of these factors remain limited. The methodology underlying the study is a quantitative one, based on a structured survey applied to a representative sample. Hypotheses were formulated and tested on the basis of a questionnaire answered by 530 respondents. The questionnaire included questions on demographics, familiarity with autonomous vehicles, sources of information used, confidence in safety and cybersecurity as well as concerns about automation and its impact on the labor market. The research results identified a significant negative correlation between age and familiarity with autonomous vehicles, demonstrating that younger people are more informed and more open to this technology. Educational level also influences information sources, as respondents with higher education prefer academic and professional sources. In terms of professional status, the results show that certain professional categories are more concerned about the impact of autonomous vehicles on jobs. Last but not least, the research shows that cybersecurity concerns are not determined by age. This article emphasizes the importance of demographic factors in the public’s perception of AVs and offers guidelines for strategies to inform and adopt this technology.