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New research reveals evolving attitudes towards driverless cars among UK road users, with over a fifth (22%) expressing comfort in traveling with autonomous technology. Conducted by vehicle history and valuation specialists HPI, the survey polled over 2,000 adults across the UK, highlighting how factors like age, gender, and regional differences shape trust in autonomous vehicles.
Key Highlights:
- Men are more trusting of driverless cars, with 28% expressing comfort compared to 16% of women.
- Younger generations show higher trust, with 33% of 18-26-year-olds comfortable with autonomous technology, compared to 17% of those aged 55-64.
- Londoners lead in trust towards driverless cars (21%), while Wales shows the least trust (9%).
- 15% of respondents believe driverless cars will lead to safer roads, while 22% think they will make no significant difference to safety.
- 25% of men would consider buying a driverless car for activities like sleeping or watching a film, compared to just 12% of women.
The survey also found that younger people and men tend to be more optimistic about the prospect of driverless vehicles. A quarter (24%) of participants said they felt excited about autonomous cars, with 30% of men sharing this enthusiasm, compared to 18% of women. When it comes to purchasing a driverless vehicle, 25% of men expressed willingness to buy one, more than double the percentage of women (12%).
Regional attitudes towards driverless technology varied significantly. Londoners were the most trusting of driverless cars, with 21% expressing confidence in the technology, followed closely by residents of the East of England (19%) and the West Midlands (18%). In contrast, Welsh residents were the least trusting, with only 9% expressing confidence.
The study also explored views on road safety. 15% of respondents believe that the introduction of driverless cars will make roads safer, while 22% feel that roads will be neither more nor less safe. Additionally, 25% of men had no concerns about the safety of driverless cars as pedestrians, compared to 14% of women.
In terms of semi-autonomous features, 42% of respondents currently drive cars equipped with technologies like lane assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking. Interestingly, a slightly higher percentage of men (43%) reported having these features compared to women (40%). However, only 6% of women stated they use these features all the time, compared to 21% of men.
The study also revealed that if alone in a driverless car, 27% of people would still consider themselves the “driver,” while 46% identified themselves as passengers. Meanwhile, 8% of respondents felt that no additional research or development was required to convince them of the safety of driverless vehicles.
The legislative landscape for autonomous vehicles is also evolving. In May, the Automated Vehicles Act (AV Act) was passed, providing a legal framework for driverless cars to operate on UK roads. This legislation outlines safety standards, data security, and insurance requirements, potentially paving the way for autonomous vehicles as early as 2026.
Matt Freeman, managing consultant at HPI, noted, “Although there is still some work to be done, the legal framework is already in place, which means we could see fully autonomous vehicles on our roads within the next two years. The government is already supporting the development and testing of driverless cars through trials and pilot projects.”
Freeman further emphasized that the AV Act aims to improve road safety by reducing human error, which contributes to 88% of road collisions. Driverless cars hold the promise of saving lives, reducing traffic, and changing freight transportation. Freeman added, “Our latest research into public attitudes towards driverless cars presents some insightful findings, and it seems that people are getting increasingly used to the idea.”
HPI provides the UK’s longest-running vehicle check service, including comprehensive car history checks, free valuations, and quick, easy MOT history checks. For more information, visit HPI’s official site.
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