<p>Despite the rapid advancements in autonomous driving technology and its significant potential benefits, public acceptance remains a critical challenge. Grounded in the theories of innovation resistance and anthropomorphism, this study develops a research framework to identify and analyze key inhibitory factors in consumers’ adoption of autonomous vehicles and their underlying mechanisms. Specifically, the study examines whether anthropomorphism can mitigate the negative impacts of these inhibitory factors on consumer attitudes, offering deeper insights into the psychological mechanisms driving acceptance. Based on survey data from 696 respondents, the findings reveal that barriers related to usability, perceived risks, tradition, and image significantly hinder consumer attitudes toward autonomous vehicles. Notably, anthropomorphic design effectively alleviates the negative impacts of tradition and image barriers on consumer attitudes, highlighting its crucial moderating role in facilitating acceptance. This study provides theoretical contributions to understanding consumer resistance, optimizing product design, and formulating effective marketing strategies, offering valuable practical implications for promoting the adoption of autonomous vehicles.</p>