Anxious drivers who like new technology will take to autonomous cars, LSE research suggests

The Goodyear-LSE research gauges people’s readiness to share the road with AVs in two ways. First, we ask how comfortable people are with the prospect by asking two direct questions: “How would you feel about driving alongside autonomous cars?” and “How would you feel about using an autonomous (driverless) car instead of driving a traditional car?” 26% of respondents describe themselves as comfortable (either totally, very, or quite) with the idea of using an AV and 29% for driving alongside one. Conversely, 44% feel uncomfortable about using an AV, whilst 41% feel uncomfortable about driving alongside one.

People who find driving stressful but who are confident about technology are, on average, more comfortable with the prospect of autonomous vehicles on our roads, a survey of UK motorists suggests.

The finding is part of a research project by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Goodyear to investigate how drivers feel about interacting with autonomous vehicles (AVs) on the road.

Building on a 2015 joint research project that explored how drivers carry out and experience interactions with others on the road, this year’s Goodyear-LSE research uncovers a number of rationales behind drivers’ responses to AVs.

Drawing on a combination of focus groups – in four European countries with a total of 48 participants – and an online survey, Autonomous Vehicles: Negotiating a Place on the Road shows that a successful introduction of AVs will depend on understanding and addressing the complex attitudes that define the public’s view of this new technology.

Dr Chris Tennant, who led the project for LSE, said: “AVs are not simply another new technology. They are a technology that is gradually emerging into an intensely social space. It is therefore no surprise that a wide range of factors influence the public’s levels of openness towards them.”

The results showed that only 25% of the 1,500 UK respondents would describe themselves as comfortable with the idea of using an AV, whereas 28% feel comfortable driving alongside one. Conversely, 55% feel uncomfortable both using an AV and driving alongside one.

In the reasons they give for their levels of comfort with AVs, safety is a key factor, with 44% of UK respondents agreeing that “machines don’t have emotions so they might be better drivers than humans” and 41% answering “most accidents are caused by human error, so autonomous vehicles will be safer”.

However, concerns about AV technology persist. Sixty-four per cent of UK survey respondents felt that there needs to be a human driver in control of the vehicle, agreeing that “as a point of principle, humans should be in control of their vehicles.” Moreover, 85% of UK respondents agreed that “autonomous vehicles could malfunction” and when asked whether they thought an AV should have a steering wheel, 78% of UK respondents said it should.

Overall, the research demonstrates that the respondents least open to AVs are those who, on average, find co-operating with other drivers easier, and have lower optimism about technology. By contrast, those more open to AVs tend, on average, to find driving more stressful and are more technologically optimistic, perhaps seeing AVs as easier agents to deal with on the road than other human drivers. 

Carlos Cipollitti, director of the Goodyear Innovation Centre, said: “I think that we can all agree that AVs are coming. But the speed and impact remain an unknown factor for most drivers. Understanding how drivers experience the road today and how they feel AVs should fit into it will therefore be key to ensuring AV’s successful introduction.”

A summary of the research can be downloaded by clicking here