Public Acceptance of Shared Autonomous Vehicles: A New Look at Robo-Taxi

Robo-taxi, or driverless taxi, is commonly referred to a type of autonomous vehicle operated on-demand. Since the suggested automation level for such service is either 4 or 5, in accordance with the SAE classification, it does not require any kind of human assistance, at least in theory. The technology is being developed and tested worldwide by automotive manufacturers, as well as tech giants, such as Uber and Yandex, which results in the growing public attention. However, as the market for the service is still practically non-existent, the legal framework is undeveloped, while the possible negative externalities, such as the Trolley Problem , have still not been resolved, it is especially crucial to develop a clear predictive framework for evaluation of public reaction to this service to avoid the possibility of technological failure. This research attempts to do exactly that.