Technology in Society 66 (2021) 101674 0160-791X/© 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Adoption of new technologies in developing countries: The case of autonomous car between Vietnam and Colombia Diana Escandon-Barbosa a, * , Jairo Salas-Paramo a , Ana Isabel Meneses-Franco b , Carlos Giraldo- Gonzalez b a Departamento Gestion de Organizaciones, Pontifcia Universidad Javeriana Cali, Colombia b Pontifcia Universidad Javeriana Cali, Colombia A R T I C L E INFO Keywords: New technologies adoption Indulgence/ restraint Autonomous cars Socio-technical transitions theory ABSTRACT The objective of the present study was to examine the moderating effect of Hofstede’s cultural dimension of indulgence on the relationship between risk perception (fnancial, psychological, and time) and purchase intention regarding autonomous cars in Colombia and Vietnam using a multi-group model. A total of 800 Colombian and Vietnamese car drivers aged 18 or over participated by completing a personal questionnaire through a polling frm. The methodological contribution of the study is its use of variables related to the con- sumer and the environment that affect the adoption of this type of new technology. The fndings showed that indulgence had a direct infuence on the adoption of new technologies that have a lesser impact on the envi- ronment. For fnancial and psychological risk and the relationship with purchase intention, it was possible to fnd moderation effects in the country characterized by a low degree of indulgence. However, in the case of time risk, the moderation effect of indulgence was found in both countries (i.e., those with a low and high degree of in- dulgence). People in the country with a high degree of indulgence tended to feel anxious and stressed when faced with the decision to acquire the new technology. 1. Introduction For many countries in Europe, Asia, and America, reducing polluting emissions has become a priority objective. One of the alternatives is the replacement by less polluting technologies that have a lesser environ- mental impact. An example is plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles (PHEVs), of which 507,000 were sold in 2020. For the United Kingdom, PHEVs accounted for around 30 % of total cars sold [1]; (Reuters, 2021). It is estimated that approximately USD200 billion will be invested in car electrifcation plans between 2020 and 2024 [2]. This is a response to the problems that have arisen as a result of the high consumption of energy from non-renewable resources, for example, the signifcant in- crease in polluting emissions [3]. Governments are now introducing policies that allow the regulation and operation of PHEVs [4,5]. Vietnam is more economically competitive than it was a few years ago. Its main focus has been to improve macroeconomic stability to enable the economy to grow. One of its strongest features is its health and services infrastructure (e.g., education). It now has a stronger fnancial market, and its domestic market is being consolidated. All this has made it possible to develop specialized human resources, labora- tories, and agencies for innovation. Among the main results has been increased market demand and an improvement in products based on knowledge, creativity, and technology. Vietnam now occupies 29th place in innovation in the region. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientifc and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world knowledge index, Vietnam ranks 64th out of 131 countries. Despite previous achievements, the university education system and research activities are still considered a priority for the coming years [6]. Colombia has concentrated its efforts on economic diversifcation and moving away from its natural resources. It has promoted a set of programs and public policy instruments that allow the generation of production of goods that have greater added value. These programs consider technology and innovation to be the axes of the national innovation system. According to UNESCO, Colombia ranks 68th out of 131 in the global innovation index. It has begun to achieve results in innovation in different industrial sectors, manufacturing in particular. * Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: dmescandon@javerianacali.edu.co (D. Escandon-Barbosa), jasalas@javerianacali.edu.co (J. Salas-Paramo), aimenesesf@gmail.co (A.I. Meneses- Franco), nickymatteo@gmail.com (C. Giraldo- Gonzalez). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Technology in Society journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/techsoc https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101674 Received 26 May 2021; Received in revised form 12 July 2021; Accepted 14 July 2021