Influence of road scenarios and psychological factors on people’s acceptance of autonomous vehicle labelling

As autonomous driving technology advances, effective communication between autonomous vehicles (AVs) and road users becomes essential. This study focused on external labels indicating the driving mode of AVs as a form of eHMIs and investigated how road scenarios and psychological factors influence their acceptance. A total of 302 participants, grouped as drivers or pedestrians, completed questionnaires across two decision-making scenarios. Overall, participants reported positive attitudes towards AV labels, with stronger demand when AVs made up 20% of road traffic. Women exhibited lower risk attitudes and higher support for external labels. Self-identity and risk attitude significantly predicted participants' acceptance, with risk attitude mediating the effect of self-identity. These findings suggest that psychological, environmental, and user-related factors should be considered in eHMI design to support safer interactions and improve trust in AVs, particularly in mixed-traffic environments.