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. 2022 Sep 9:13:953370.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.953370. eCollection 2022.

Consumer acceptance of autonomous delivery robots for last-mile delivery: Technological and health perspectives

Kum Fai Yuen  1 , Lanhui Cai  2 , Yong Guang Lim  1 , Xueqin Wang  2
Affiliations

Consumer acceptance of autonomous delivery robots for last-mile delivery: Technological and health perspectives

Kum Fai Yuen et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

The unprecedented outbreak of the novel coronavirus has led to a great shift toward online retailing and accelerated the need for contactless delivery. This study investigates how technological and health belief factors influence consumer acceptance of autonomous delivery robots (ADRs). Anchored in four behavioral theories [i.e., technology acceptance model, health belief model, perceived value (VAL) theory and trust theory], a synthesized model is developed. A total of 500 valid responses were collected through an online questionnaire in Singapore, and structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the responses. The results revealed that perceived ease of use (EOU), perceived usefulness (UFN), perceived susceptibility (SUS), perceived severity (SEV), self-efficacy (SEL) and cues to action (CUE) have a positive and significant influence on consumers' perceptions of the value of ADRs. The total effect analysis also showed that perceived VAL strongly affects consumer acceptance of ADRs. Academically, this study introduces both technological and health belief factors to explain consumer acceptance of ADRs. It also provides recommendations for policymakers and autonomous delivery robot developers on policy formulation, public communication, product design and infrastructure development.

Keywords: COVID-19; autonomous delivery robots; health belief model; perceived trust; perceived value; technology acceptance model.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Theoretical model.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Structural model and its parameter approximations. *Indicates a significant path approximation (p < 0.05); ns indicates not significant; Model fit indices: χ2/df = 2.23 (p < 0.05); CFI = 0.95; TLI = 0.95; RMSEA = 0.06; SRMR = 0.07.
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