2026/02/20 by Lea Häberli, Sabrina Hofer, Markus Hackenfort · 1 voice
Psychology · Engineering · #Human-Automation Interaction and Safety #Transportation and Mobility Innovations #Electric Vehicles and Infrastructure
paper · pdf · doi:10.55329/utjs1888
openalex publication_date 2026/02/20 · openalex created_date 2026/02/25 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02
Fully autonomous Level-4 electric taxis, operating independently without a human driver, are no longer a novelty and are already operating on public roads in the USA and other countries. It is clear that the mobility sector is facing extensive changes, which also affects cities like Zurich. But to what extent will those transport concepts be adopted in cities in the future? Are Level-4 self-driving electric taxis welcome on its streets? This study examined whether this revolution in passenger transport would find acceptance on the streets of Zurich. We explored in which cases, by whom, and for which routes autonomous taxis would be utilized. An online survey with 302 participants assessed the potential intent to use these taxis both during the day and night. The questionnaire was developed based on various theoretical models of technology acceptance and other traffic-related studies and was specifically adapted to the conditions in Zurich. The results showed that factors such as safety and utility evaluations, social influences, and attitudes toward new technologies are significant predictors of usage intention in Zurich. The results also indicate that respondents are not yet fully prepared to hand over control, although the participants expressed an interest in this new technology and an intention to use it. Sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, or education level showed no consistent influence. Based on these findings, several practical implications were identified and subsequently developed, such as highlighting the relevance of safety and user-friendliness in self-driving taxis.