Most US Drivers Fear Self-Driving Vehicles - Report

According to AAA's most recent survey on autonomous vehicles, the majority of American drivers are either fearful of fully autonomous vehicles (66%) or uncertain about them (25%).

Although buyers may find robot cars unsettling, they are not against technology taking over the driving seat. More than half of the respondents indicated they would be open to automated braking, reverse automatic braking, and lane keep assist. Just 42% of respondents expressed interest in adaptive cruise control, while 49% were interested in active driving assistance.

“There has been an increase in consumer fear over the past few years,” Director of Automotive Engineering Research for AAA Greg Brannon said in a statement. “Given the numerous and well-publicized incidents involving current vehicle technologies – it’s not surprising that people are apprehensive about their safety.””
According to the company, drivers in the United States also think that when there is a car in front of them or behind them, children, adults walking, or cyclists, AEB will stop the car.

Reverse AEB systems, however, only avoided a collision in one out of forty test runs when backing up with a subject vehicle crossing in front of the test vehicle and in just ten out of twenty test runs when the child target was stationary and behind the test vehicle, according to recent AAA research.

The majority of consumers won't have to worry about driverless cars anytime soon. After several months of major safety setbacks for General Motors' Cruise division, it looks like Google's Waymo is one of the few companies still working hard to advance the technology. Although it recently extended its robotaxi service to Los Angeles, regular passenger cars won't be using this technology for several years.