At this stage, self-driving cars seem to be inevitable, with the only real question surrounding them being when exactly they will hit the streets. While there is no way of knowing when that will happen, commercial deployment of autonomous vehicles is getting closer with each passing day.
With that in mind, now is as good time as any for drivers to start getting used to the idea of giving up control of their vehicles and letting a computer drive them. But, a new study shows that they are far from being ready to ride in autonomous vehicles, with most of them stating that they are afraid to do it.
Fear of Self-Driving Cars Not Abating
A recent survey by AAA, America’s largest motoring association, shows that 3 out of 4 American drivers are “afraid” to ride in a self-driving car. This is a very concerning finding, given that virtually the entire global auto industry is headed towards increased automation of vehicles, ultimately leading to vehicles that can drive themselves without the input of a human driver.
Conversely, only 20 percent of respondents said that they would trust a driverless vehicles. The curious thing about these findings is that most drivers very likely already own a car that has various self-driving features, considering how common advanced driver assistance systems have become lately.
“With the rapid advancement towards autonomous vehicles, American drivers may be hesitant to give up full control,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “What Americans may not realize is that the building blocks towards self-driving cars are already in today’s vehicles and the technology is constantly improving and well-trusted by those who have experienced it.”
What’s more, 61 percent of respondents said that they would like to have semi-autonomous features like lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automated braking in their cars, which makes their fear of autonomous cars that much more surprising.
Drivers Think They Are Better than Self-Driving Systems
There are a couple of reasons why drivers are reluctant to embrace autonomous cars. Most of the drivers who said that they are not ready for this advanced technology cited trusting their driving skills more than the technology (84 percent), with another 60 percent stating that they don’t think the technology is proven yet. Other drivers cited high costs, and some of them also said that they don’t know enough about autonomous driving technology.
The study concludes by noting that raising drivers’ awareness of the benefits of self-driving technologies, along with their limitations, is essential for convincing them to embrace autonomous vehicles.
Be that as it may, it seems that public perception continues to be one of the key obstacles for driverless cars, so car manufacturers and policymakers should put a bigger focus on educating consumers on autonomous driving technology in the future.