Feeling the Fault: How Motivation-Driven Emotions Shape Blame Attribution in Semi-Autonomous Driving

Authors

• Kun Yu, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, ChinaFollow
• Dongli Zhang, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, ChinaFollow
• Hongyu Gao, Oakland University, Aubura Hills, United StatesFollow
• Zekun Zhao, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, ChinaFollow
• Xinshang You, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, ChinaFollow

Abstract

Shared control in semi-autonomous vehicles (semi-AVs) complicates the attribution of blame in accidents. Although the literature has extensively debated the allocation of responsibility between human drivers and automated systems, the influence of consumers’ preexisting usage motivations remains underexplored. This paper investigates how hedonic and utilitarian motivations shape blame attribution through two planned vignette-based studies. The experimental results indicate that participants with hedonic motivations allocate more blame to human drivers than to automated systems. By contrast, utilitarian participants exhibit no significant difference in blame distribution between human drivers and automated systems. The findings are expected to provide important insights into developing AV responsibility frameworks and targeted marketing strategies.

Recommended Citation

Yu, Kun; Zhang, Dongli; Gao, Hongyu; Zhao, Zekun; and You, Xinshang, "Feeling the Fault: How Motivation-Driven Emotions Shape Blame Attribution in Semi-Autonomous Driving" (2026). ICEB 2026 Proceedings (Beijing, China). 37.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/iceb2026/37