Intention to use a fully automated car: Attitudes and a priori acceptability

•Few studies focused on a priori acceptability and intention to use fully automated driving.•Two thirds of the participants a priori accepted fully automated driving and wanted to use it.•Intention to use a fully automated car was predicted by attitudes and contextual acceptability.•Intention to use fully automated driving depends on the road type and the driving environment.•Intention to use fully automated driving depends on the interest in using it while impaired. If previous research studied acceptability of partially or highly automated driving, few of them focused on fully automated driving (FAD), including the ability to master longitudinal control, lateral control and maneuvers. The present study analyzes a priori acceptability, attitudes, personality traits and intention to use a fully automated vehicle. 421 French drivers (153 males, M=40.2years, age range 19–73) answered an online questionnaire. 68.1% Of the sample a priori accepted FAD. Predictors of intention to use a fully automated car (R2=.671) were mainly attitudes, contextual acceptability and interest in impaired driving (i.e. the two components of FAD acceptability), followed by driving related sensation seeking, finally gender. FAD preferred use cases were on highways, in traffic congestion and for automatic parking. Furthermore, some drivers reported interest in impaired driving misuses, despite awareness of their responsibility for both the vehicle and the driving. These results are discussed regarding previous knowledge about acceptability of advanced driving assistance systems and consequences for the use of fully automated cars.