Investigating the impact of an industrial design strategy on the level of trust passengers have in shared autonomous vehicles

This study explores how industrial design can enhance passengers' trust in Shared Autonomous Vehicles (SAVs). It investigates the impact of vehicle aesthetics, both physical and digital, on trust, focusing on human-vehicle and passenger-passenger relationships. By applying five trust principles—anthropomorphic design, defensible space, system transparency, personalization features, and restorative environments—the research identifies design strategies to address trust challenges. The outcomes propose practical design guidelines to support future SAV development, contributing to the success and adoption of autonomous vehicles in transportation.