Explorative study over perception and acceptance of innovation and the role of communication and information channels: the case of Autonomous Vehicles

This research aims to explore and investigate the reasons behind the public reaction to autonomous vehicles (since, in the opinion of the author, understanding these factors is crucial to ensure a smooth and successful transition toward the future technological era), and, more in details, it aims to investigate the role that the lack of information or the disinformation may have in the acceptance process. Starting from a sociological and user centered point of view, the following work aims to investigate the human factors involved in the acceptance of autonomous vehicles from a communicative and perceptive perspective. By putting information and related channels at the center of exploratory reasoning, the author's goal is to understand the effects that communication and information, delivered through different channels, can have on the potential user and, on these assumptions, define a series of useful recommendations for the acceptance of the phenomenon by the public. What are the gaps to fill? What are the most effective actions and channels to do so? What is the role of communication in the process? In the body of the thesis, the literature regarding the acceptance of technology and innovation by the user will be analyzed, the determinants and factors that guide the choice will be highlighted and the role of the communicative component within the aforementioned choice will be analyzed. Thanks to the contribution of topical information, a framework relating to the state of the art of the phenomenon in question, autonomous vehicles, will be developed. Through the information derived, we will then proceed to the creation and administration of an exploratory questionnaire with the aim of investigating the knowledge and perception of users about the subject and on the channels through which they have come to the information. The ultimate goal of the research is to devise a road map of useful actions to be implemented in support of the public acceptance process, completed by a set of recommendations and assumptions.