Trust and risky technologies: Aligning and coping with Tesla Autopilot

Abstract

Products are increasingly digitized, and they incorporate digital components, smart features and partial automation. Modern cars are a prime example of consumer-oriented automation; they sense the environment and perform specific driving tasks on the driver’s behalf. The driving assistance and safety features provided by automation are under constant development, and as these features evolve, drivers experience and learn about their capabilities as they use them and develop their trust in automation in the light of new experiences and information. In this paper, we present a study on how trust in car automation unfolds as users gain experiences and information that conflicts with their expectations concerning the level of automation. We use Tesla Model S car as our case technology and explore how its users develop their trust and cope with issues with the novel automation technology. Our findings suggest important directions for future research of consumer-oriented automation and digitized products.