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MOTORISTS in two of the northern hemisphere’s most mature car markets have shown alarm at the thought of being driven on public roads by an autonomous vehicle.

According to recent surveys, drivers are demanding they want to drive the car themselves and believe a human should always be in control.

Three surveys – two from the UK and one from the US – show that the majority of drivers say they will not relinquish the steering wheel because they fear autonomous cars would be unsafe.

Despite the development of driverless cars and the general acceptance by both the automotive industry and media that these vehicles are inevitable, those who will operate these cars are not so sure.

In fact, a massive 65 per cent of respondents to an IAM RoadSmart (formerly the Institute of Advanced Motorists) survey in the UK said a human should always be in control of a vehicle.

The survey was conducted with 1000 British motorists and supported by a separate poll among RoadSmart’s 92,000 members.

While two-thirds wanted humans in control, 34 per cent went on to say autonomous vehicle technology is “a bad idea”, although there is room for some doubt because nearly half (45 per cent) said they were “unsure” of the technology.

Concurrently, UK magazine What Car? held its own survey and produced similar results. It reported that 51 per cent of respondents said they would feel “unsafe” in an autonomous cars.

But one in four said they were more than relaxed with the concept, with 26 per cent indicating they would happily sleep in a driverless car, watch TV or browse the internet.

Google driverless Car

Google driverless Car

Similarly, a US survey by the American Automobile Association last month reported that 75 per cent of US drivers would feel “afraid” to ride in a driverless car.

Only one in five said they would trust the vehicle if they were inside, according to the survey conducted by the AAA through 1832 phone interviews early this year.

However, the AAA said motorists that owned vehicles with semi-autonomous aids – such as autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control – were more likely to trust driverless cars.

The AAA reported that age and gender differences affected the participants’ trust levels about driverless cars.

It said that 82 per cent of baby boomers reported being afraid of riding in a self-driving car and even a majority (69 per cent) of the younger generation were afraid of riding in a driverless car.

More women – 81 per cent – reported such fear of riding in self-driving vehicles compared with 67 per cent of men.

But US motorists are embracing technology. The survey said that 61 per cent of US drivers wanted adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, self-parking, or another type of semi-autonomous technology in their next car.

Baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1965) were most likely to cite safety as a reason for wanting advanced car technologies.

But millennials (born between 1982 and 2000) were more likely than baby boomers to state they wanted “convenience” and “the latest technology”.

Stress also played a role in the decision to contemplate semi-autonomous cars.

The survey revealed about half of women thought that semi-autonomous features in such cars would reduce stress and 42 per cent of men agreed.

The result was similar in the UK. The IAM RoadSmart survey found that people welcomed the hi-tech advances that improve vehicle safety, but wanted to maintain control of a car – even though autonomous technology will be able to do it for them.

IAM RoadSmart chief executive Sarah Sillars said British motorists had embraced technological advances in cars but were strong on retaining the right to drive.

“Intelligent cars will deliver a step-change in road safety by targeting the human errors we make from time-to-time,” she said.

“At IAM RoadSmart we believe a well-trained driver and an ever-vigilant car is a win-win scenario for the future.”

She said the government was to consult on how the UK could lead the development of autonomous vehicles soon.

“One could see a time when motorists might be restricted to driving (their own cars) on designated roads – and possibly just for pleasure – rather than for work or getting from A to B,” she said.

RESULTS OF THE UK IAM ROADSMART SURVEY:

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