The Mind in the Machine: Anthropomorphism Increases Trust in an Autonomous Vehicle

Abstract

Demonstrates that anthropomorphizing autonomous vehicles — giving them names, voices, and described intentions — increases trust and willingness to rely on them. This suggests that the same psychological mechanisms we use for human social cognition extend to our interactions with machines.

Key Findings

• Anthropomorphized autonomous vehicles are trusted more than non-anthropomorphized ones
• Anthropomorphism reduces blame attributed to the vehicle in accident scenarios
• The effect is mediated by perceived mental capacity of the vehicle

Source