Risk perception and trust in autonomous vehicles: A case study of ground handling employees at an international airport

Abstract

Autonomous vehicles are being introduced in confined areas such as airports, mines and freight terminals. While experts anticipate cost reductions, increased flexibility, and safety improvements, there is limited understanding of how workers perceive real-world implementations of autonomous vehicles. A survey was conducted in a sample of 84 employees in the ground handling operations at Oslo International Airport. The employees had experience with autonomous vehicles through the introduction of autonomous snow removal machines. In addition to demographic data, the questionnaire gauged the respondents’ tendencies to approach or avoid technology interaction, their beliefs of being replaced by technology, their perception of risk and trust in autonomous vehicles, and, finally, their trust in actors to mitigate risks. The employees perceived the probability of accidents involving autonomous vehicles and the potential severity of consequences as higher than for manually operated vehicles at airports. Moreover, they reported more worry about the risks associated with autonomous vehicles. The perceived probability of accidents was found to predict trust in autonomous vehicles, while worry about accidents predicted trust in relevant actors to handle the risk. The findings suggest that addressing employees’ cognitive evaluation of risk is essential to calibrate trust in autonomous driving technologies. Additionally, employers and authorities should strive to anticipate and address the worries their employees may have. This proactive approach is likely essential for building trust in the deployment of autonomous vehicles in the workplace and in designing and implementing associated risk-mitigating measures. Future studies should investigate the experiences of employees interacting with autonomous vehicles over longer time horizons to understand the long-term effects on safety, efficiency, and ways of working.