User engagement and satisfaction , Customer Satisfaction and Efficiency in Automated Last-Mile Delivery Systems: A Survey-Based Study.

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the determinants of public acceptance of automated last-mile delivery (ALMD) technologies in the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. To address this aim, the study investigated how demographic characteristics (age and residential area), national context, and perceptions of risks and benefits (privacy, trust, safety, job loss, efficiency, and sustainability) shape willingness to adopt ALMD. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted with 203 participants, using quota-based sampling to enhance representativeness across both countries. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U tests, Kruskal–Wallis tests, and Spearman’s rank-order correlations in SPSS. Descriptive analysis indicated that participants were predominantly young, digitally literate, and experienced with traditional parcel delivery, with only a minority reporting prior use of automated methods. Cross-national comparisons revealed no significant differences between UK and Saudi respondents, suggesting convergence of public attitudes across contexts. Based on correlation analysis, the study identified that trust, efficiency, and emissions reduction were the strongest predictors of acceptance. By contrast, age, residential area, and concerns over safety, privacy, and job loss did not significantly reduce willingness to adopt ALMD. Notably, job-loss concern and privacy awareness were sometimes positively associated with openness to adoption, indicating that risks may coexist with acceptance rather than act as barriers. The findings highlight the importance of building trust, demonstrating efficiency gains, and communicating tangible environmental benefits to encourage adoption. This study leaves several gaps that future work should address through longitudinal and qualitative approaches, as well as broader cross-cultural sampling, to capture evolving public attitudes toward ALMD.