Drivers are not yet comfortable giving up control of their car to a computer, survey finds
Consumers are not yet ready to let self-driving cars completely take the wheel, but they appear to be growing more comfortable with some level of self-driving technology, according to a recent study.
The study, produced by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, asked drivers about their preferred level of automation in vehicles.
The biggest share of respondents (45.8 percent) said they preferred no self-driving option. Another 38.7 percent preferred partially self-driving cars. Relatively few respondents (15.5 percent) said they were ready for completely self-driving cars.
Partially self-driving cars could include technology similar to what is already on the market in some vehicles, like parking assist, lane departure warning, or automatic braking.
The survey found women expressed greater concern for riding in completely self-driving cars than men. When asked, “If the only vehicles available were completely self-driving, how concerned would you be about riding in such a vehicle?’’ 43 percent of women said they were “very concerned’’ while 31.3 percent of men said the same.
Trust of autonomous vehicle technology varies somewhat by age group. Drivers over 60 year old were least likely to trust self-driving technology, with only 9.6 percent saying they completely trust it.
Younger drivers were about twice as likely to trust self-driving technology completely, with 18.8 percent of drivers between ages 18 and 29, and 22.2 percent of drivers between ages 30 and 44, saying they “completely’’ trust the technology.
A similar survey by J.D. Power and Associates also found younger drivers were more likely to trust self-driving cars than older generations.
An overwhelming majority of survey respondents (94.5 percent) want self-driving cars to have a steering wheel, a gas pedal, brakes and some other controls.
In terms of inputting a destination or a route, people slightly preferred touchscreens over voice commands. In the event that a partially self-driving vehicle required the driver to take control, nearly 60 percent of respondents said they prefer to be notified by a combination of sound, visual and vibration alerts.
This is the second year the survey has been conducted. Based on the most recent results, attitudes towards self-driving cars have not shifted much over the past year. A total of 618 licensed drivers in the U.S. participated in the survey.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com