TY - JOUR
T1 - Acceptance of Autonomous Delivery Vehicles for Last-Mile Delivery in Germany – Extending UTAUT2 with Risk Perceptions
AU - Kapser, Sebastian
AU - Abdelrahman, Mahmoud
PY - 2020/2/1
Y1 - 2020/2/1
N2 - The inevitable need to develop new delivery practices in last-mile logistics arises from the enormously growing business to consumer (B2C) e-commerce and the associated challenges for logistics service providers. Autonomous delivery vehicles (ADVs) are believed to have the potential to revolutionise last-mile delivery in a way that is more sustainable and customer focused. However, if not widely accepted, the introduction of ADVs as a delivery option can be a substantial waste of resources. At present, the research on consumers’ receptivity of innovations in last-mile delivery, such as ADVs, is limited. This study is the first that investigates the users’ acceptance of ADVs in Germany by utilising an extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) and adapted it to the context of ADVs in last-mile delivery. Quantitative data was collected through an online survey approach (n=501) and structural equation modelling was undertaken. The results indicate that price sensitivity is the strongest predictor of behavioural intention (i.e., user acceptance), followed by performance expectancy, hedonic motivation, perceived risk, social influence and facilitating conditions, whereas no effect could be found for effort expectancy. These findings have important theoretical and practical contributions in the areas of technology acceptance and last-mile delivery.
AB - The inevitable need to develop new delivery practices in last-mile logistics arises from the enormously growing business to consumer (B2C) e-commerce and the associated challenges for logistics service providers. Autonomous delivery vehicles (ADVs) are believed to have the potential to revolutionise last-mile delivery in a way that is more sustainable and customer focused. However, if not widely accepted, the introduction of ADVs as a delivery option can be a substantial waste of resources. At present, the research on consumers’ receptivity of innovations in last-mile delivery, such as ADVs, is limited. This study is the first that investigates the users’ acceptance of ADVs in Germany by utilising an extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) and adapted it to the context of ADVs in last-mile delivery. Quantitative data was collected through an online survey approach (n=501) and structural equation modelling was undertaken. The results indicate that price sensitivity is the strongest predictor of behavioural intention (i.e., user acceptance), followed by performance expectancy, hedonic motivation, perceived risk, social influence and facilitating conditions, whereas no effect could be found for effort expectancy. These findings have important theoretical and practical contributions in the areas of technology acceptance and last-mile delivery.
KW - User acceptance
KW - Technology Acceptance Model
KW - UTAUT2
KW - last-mile transportation
KW - perceived risk
KW - Home delivery
KW - Germany
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85077047606&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.trc.2019.12.016
DO - 10.1016/j.trc.2019.12.016
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85077047606
VL - 111
SP - 210
EP - 225
JO - Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies
JF - Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies
SN - 0968-090X
ER -