U.S. Robotaxi Experience Study
See How Riders Experience Automated Ride-Hailing
The U.S. Robotaxi Experience Study captures real-world feedback from riders and observers in active deployment cities—revealing how experience shapes trust, safety perceptions, and readiness for commercial robotaxi adoption.
What It Measures
A Comprehensive View of Robotaxi Performance
Evaluates sentiments of robotaxi passengers and potential riders across pilot cities in four core dimensions:
• Safety perception
• Ease of use and onboarding
• Reliability and ride quality
• Overall comfort and trust
Include:
• Perspectives of both adopters and those who have yet to ride, providing a full picture of market readiness
What's new for 2026:
- 6 active deployment cities, with expansion to Austin (as well as Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Francisco)
- Expanded measurement of first-ride experience, remote-operator support perceptions and the impact on future mobility and vehicle-ownership decisions
- New AV commercial trucking insights exploring how consumers perceive and experience the presence of fully automated commercial trucks on public roads, capturing their overall comfort and confidence in the technology as it operates alongside everyday passenger vehicles
How It Works
How the Robotaxi Experience Study Works
• Uses survey feedback from robotaxi riders and potential users in pilot markets
• Measures sentiment, comfort, perceived safety, and overall experience
• Evaluates usability, reliability, and ride quality
• Combines user and non-user perspectives to assess market readiness
Core Strengths
Clearer Experience Insights, Stronger Trust
- Reveals how riders perceive safety and system reliability
- Identifies friction points in interfaces, routing, and pickup experience
- Helps AV operators improve trust, usability, and service quality
- Supports automakers and developers in refining positioning and communication efforts
- Combine Robotaxi Experience + Mobility Confidence Index data to link perception with real-world exposure, identify readiness gaps, and reduce deployment, brand, and policy risk
Business Impact
Build Trust, Accelerate Adoption
• Identify market readiness hotspots and gaps
• Track trust and safety perceptions as they evolve
• Compare deployment readiness across cities
• Guide product, policy, and communications decisions
Press Release Information
JD Power issues a national press release highlighting key findings and top-to-bottom rankings from the study.
Who should use it
Designed for AV Operators and Mobility Planners
- Robotaxi service providers
- AV technology developers
- OEMs
- AV trucking companies
- Tier-1 and tech suppliers
- Insurance companies
- Government/Public-sector stakeholders
Study Deliverables
Turn Real-World Robotaxi Feedback Into Decisions
Data release: Spring 2026
Clients for the Mobility Confidence Index receive a fully prepared data file and a custom presentation.
