Full Self-Driving in the United States: Willingness to Pay and Its Predictors

Willingness to Pay (WTP) of potential vehicle buyers for full self-driving vehicle (SDV) technology has fluctuated over the years, with large portions of consumers not willing to pay a premium. However, if buyers are not willing to pay a premium larger than the cost of the technology required to enable full self-driving capability, vehicles with this technology do not have a compelling business case. A survey across the United States (N=403) was used to determine an updated estimate for willingness to pay for SDV technology and identify statistical predictors for WTP. The survey introduced new metrics, including “SDV comfort score” and “impact of advertising score” as a method of predicting SDV WTP. Results showed that the portion of people willing to pay for SDV technology (72.4%) has increased compared to previous surveys, and that the mean magnitude of that willingness as a monetary value ($13,842) has increased versus previous surveys, but is highly influenced by outlier premium values, as demonstrated by the median value of $5,000. Findings also reveal that respondents owning hybrid vehicles or not owning any vehicles and individuals that are more risk-tolerant are willing to pay higher premiums. While respondents who tend to assign greater blame to manufacturers for SDV incidents based on advertising claims have reduced WTP. These insights highlight evolving consumer attitudes toward SDV technology and provide actionable guidance for manufacturers in pricing, marketing, and addressing consumer concerns. Continued research is recommended to monitor WTP trends and refine strategies for broader market acceptance.