Resistance to driverless cars growing?

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) appear to be falling in favour in the COVID-19 era, a recent United Kingdom survey has found.

With the UK government’s new consultation on automated steering for vehicles, the subject of autonomous cars has again hit headlines there. The question is, do drivers and the public really want them? In some cases, it’s a firm ‘no’, the June survey of 3000 UK people by market research firm 7^th Sense and automotive communications agency Loop shows.

The report Driving the Future – Part 2: Attitudes to Automation

lifts the lid on people’s attitudes to the technology behind AVs, and whether the COVID-19 crisis has changed their views.

Results indicate confidence in autonomous cars has fallen during the past year, that the drivers of tomorrow are some of the most sceptical and that there might not be a viable business case for AVs based on current consumer feedback.

This report follows the first Driving the Future series survey in 2019, also of 3000 people in the UK, and suggests the right messaging (and education) will be vital in engaging effectively with future customers.

The latest study also shows about 60% of large city dwellers in the UK will rethink their transport (70% are more cautious about public transport in the COVID era), that all transport use has dropped dramatically and that public transport has suffered the most.

However, demand for cycles, electric bikes, e-scooters and even mopeds and motorbikes is up, with a “two-wheeled revolution” taking place. This suggests fewer people will use public transport with massive losses for UK rail predicted – probably needing increased subsidy, and reduced use of roads and highways meaning less capacity and less maintenance, the report notes.

Reduced season tickets and annual subscriptions for transport are also indicated in the report with more people working from home, contactless deliveries and other changes contributing, with shorter payment options generally preferred.

Some remain unconvinced of the extra safety connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) bring.

Another factor is that Generation Z’s trust in technology and large corporations needs to be earned, as those born between 1997 and 2012 may still sometimes view cars as essential and as a status symbol.

The study concludes a significant and fundamental shift in transport demand is signalled, and it could represent a major opportunity to develop roads for a new modality.

It may force a radical rethink of funding and services too, both covered in a coming report in the series.