•We proposed and empirically tested an autonomous vehicle (AV) acceptance model.•Trust was the most critical factor in promoting AV acceptance.•Perceived safety risk had a negative effect on AV acceptance through trust.•Perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU) were significant factors.•The effects of PEOU and PU were weaker compared to trust. The purpose of this study was to explore factors affecting users’ acceptance of automated vehicles (AVs, Level 3). A theoretical acceptance model was proposed by extending the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with new constructs: initial trust and two types of perceived risk (i.e., perceived safety risk PSR and perceived privacy risk PPR). It was hypothesized that initial trust was built upon perception factors (i.e., perceived usefulness PU, perceived ease of use PEOU, PSR, and PPR) and was a key determinant of AV acceptance. The validity of the model was confirmed with a structure equation modeling analysis based on data collected from 216 survey samples. Results revealed that initial trust was the most critical factor in promoting a positive attitude towards AVs, which, together with PU, determined users’ intention to use AVs. Initial trust could be enhanced by improving PU and reducing PSR associated with AVs. Theoretically, these findings suggest that initial trust offers another and probably more important pathway for other factors to impact consumers’ adoption of systems with uncertainty. Practically, the findings provide guidance for designing interventions aimed at improving public’s acceptance towards AVs.