Concerns over driverless cars

Three in five UK motorists are worried about the safety of fully autonomous cars, according to a new study.

The research for Continental Tyres also revealed that 40% of people simply mistrust the concept of a self-driving car, while a fifth say it scares them. A further half said they were concerned that technology glitches would result in breakdowns.

Despite these concerns, the 2,000 people surveyed did express what they consider to be major advantages of driverless vehicles, such as reduced journey times and having to concentrate less.

Driverless car advantages – Top 10

1. Road safety
2. More efficient / reduced journey times
3. Less concentration required
4. Reduced insurance costs (through fewer accidents)
5. Opportunity to use mobile
6. Increased mobility for non-drivers
7. Opportunity to eat in the car
8. Opportunity to read in the car
9. More productive use of time
10. Opportunity to use tablet/laptop

The research for Continental Tyres is part of its ‘Vision Zero’ commitment, which aims to eliminate road accidents through innovative tyre technologies and automotive systems.

“There are very exciting times ahead with the advent of automated technology, though with any advance comes concerns,” said Continental’s Mark Griffiths.

“With our award-winning summer and winter tyre ranges, safety is of utmost importance at Continental when it comes to any of our products or automotive technologies, and it is clear from this research that UK motorists identify with safety as a significant trust factor.”