The Social Perception of Autonomous Delivery Vehicles Based on the Stereotype Content Model

Innovations like autonomous delivery vehicles (ADV) have the potential to transform last-mile delivery to make it more sustainable and human-centered. Yet only if these technologies are socially acceptable can they live up to their potential. Using the Stereotype Content Model (SCM), we assessed how different social groups were perceived when they used autonomous delivery vehicles. Based on the two dimensions of the SCM, warmth and competence, we found combinations of group stereotypes and use of ADV that impact social acceptability, and we identified systematic effects of gender and vehicle usage on social acceptability. Our results highlight the importance of social perception for the acceptance of autonomous vehicles and the relevance of the intersections of gender, vehicle usage, and social group for an accurate and comprehensive evaluation of the social acceptability of autonomous delivery vehicles.