People still leery of using driverless tech

By CARSIFU | 25 August 2017


NEW YORK: Most people are still wary of driverless technology, with over half of those surveyed saying they would not consider riding in a fully autonomous vehicle.

However, 71 percent may consider riding in a partially autonomous vehicle.

The online survey was conducted by Gartner Inc. from April through May, and polled 1,519 people in the United States and Germany.

Concerns around technology failures and security are key reasons why many consumers are cautious about fully autonomous vehicles.

"Fear of autonomous vehicles getting confused by unexpected situations, safety concerns around equipment and system failures and vehicle and system security are top concerns around using fully autonomous vehicles," explains Gartner research director Mike Ramsey.

Survey respondents agreed that fully autonomous vehicles do offer many advantages, including improved fuel economy and a reduced number and severity of crashes. Additional benefits they identified include having a safe transportation option when drivers are tired and using travel time for entertainment and work.

The survey found that consumers who currently embrace on-demand car services are more likely to ride in and purchase partially and fully autonomous vehicles. "This signifies that these more evolved users of transportation methods are more open towards the concept of autonomous cars," said Ramsey.

Dozens of companies are currently developing sensors and other technologies required to enable vehicles to detect and understand their surroundings. As of mid-2017, more than 46 companies are building artificial intelligence (AI)-based software to control an autonomous vehicle and make it operate in the world.

"Autonomous driving technology will fundamentally transform the automotive industry, changing the way vehicles are built, operated, sold, used and serviced," said Ramsey.

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