The role of Relative Advantage and Trust in shaping Behavioural Intention to use Autonomous Buses : Evidence from visitors and residents of a tourism winter destination in Sweden

Sammanfattning

Autonomous mobility has the potential to transform transportation systems by addressing challenges related to safety, sustainability, accessibility, and mobility provision across diverse geographic and operational contexts. However, little research has examined Autonomous Buses (ABs) in winter tourism environments or how users form acceptance before actual use. This study therefore investigates the acceptance of ABs in Sälenfjällen, Sweden, within the Sälen Idre Collective Traffic Autonomous (SIKTA) project, the first deployment of a Level 4 autonomous electric bus in a mountain winter destination. The study examines the relationships between Relative Advantage, Trust, and Behavioural Intention using a quantitative, deductive approach based on Technology Acceptance Models (TAM), Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Data were collected through on-site cross-sectional surveys during the 2026 winter season, resulting in 275 responses. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was applied to test the hypothesised relationships. The results show that Relative Advantage significantly increases Trust, while Trust strongly influences Behavioural Intention. However, Relative Advantage has no direct effect on Behavioural Intention, with Trust fully mediating this relationship. This indicates that perceived benefits alone are insufficient to drive adoption in uncertain winter environments without trust in system safety and reliability. The study contributes to theory by extending acceptance models to a winter tourism context and highlights Trust as a key mechanism in autonomous mobility adoption. Practically, it emphasises the importance of trust-building and reliable system performance for successful implementation of ABs in tourism destinations.