Over Three-Quarters Of U.S. Drivers Are Wary Of Autonomous Vehicles

While automakers have been competing for the last several years to become the first to introduce an autonomous vehicle to the road, a new study by AAA found that many Americans don't seem to be as willing to get out of the driver's seat. The survey found that over three quarters (78 percent) of U.S. drivers are afraid of the idea of riding in a self-driving car. On the other hand, 59 percent of the same drivers said they would want such technology in their next vehicle.

So while American drivers appear ready to begin accepting the idea of autonomous vehicles, they are not as willing to give up complete control of their vehicles to an array of cameras and sensors.

"A great race towards autonomy is underway and companies are vying to introduce the first driverless cars to our roadways," said Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of automotive engineering and industry relations. "However, while U.S. drivers are eager to buy vehicles equipped with autonomous technology, they continue to fear a fully self-driving vehicle."

The study also found that 54 percent of U.S. drivers reported feeling less safe at the prospect of sharing the road with a self-driving vehicle, while 34 percent said they felt it wouldn't make a difference and only 10 percent said they would feel safe sharing the road with an autonomous vehicle.

AAA reports that women (54 percent) are more likely to feel less safe than men (49 percent). Likewise, Baby Boomers (60 percent) are more likely to feel less safe than Generation X (56 percent) or Millennials (41 percent). However, Millennials (70 percent) were the most likely to want these technologies overall, while Generation X (56 percent) and Baby Boomers (51 percent) were less likely to want driverless technology in their vehicles.

"U.S. drivers may experience the driver assistance technologies in their cars today and feel they don’t work consistently enough to replace a human driver – and they’re correct," said Brannon. He also added that while these technologies will continue to improve over time, drivers must continue to remain vigilant and attentive while behind the wheel.