BOISE, Idaho — Autonomous vehicles, or AVs, may grow in popularity in the future, offering mobility solutions to many people. But for the time being, most Americans view self driving cars with a great deal of skepticism.
AVs are not currently available to purchase; However, nearly 10% of drivers believe they can already buy a car that would operate without assistance from the driver.
According to AAA research, nine in ten drivers would be afraid (66%) or uncertain (25%) about riding in a self-driving car, which is the same percentage breakdown as a year ago. The number of drivers who expressed fear with self-driving cars jumped from 55% in 2022, to 68% in 2023. That number dipped slightly this year.
"Recently, there have been several well-publicized incidents where AV technology has fallen short, and that naturally makes some people leery about turning over complete control to the system," said AAA Idaho public affairs director Matthew Conde. "An incremental rollout of proven technologies will be key to getting drivers more comfortable with the idea of a fully self-driving car. States like Idaho will also require significant mapping and broadband to support the technology."
The concept of a fully autonomous car is a major concern for most drivers, six in ten said they would "definitely" or "probably" want some advanced safety features in the next vehicle, such as:
- Automatic Emergency Braking - 63% of drivers desire
- Reverse Automatic Emergency Braking - 62% of drivers desire
- Lane Keeping Assistance - 58% of drivers desire
- Adaptive Cruise Control - 55% of drivers desire
- Active Driving Assistance - 46% of drivers desire
"In the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, or ADAS, space, knowledge gaps are extremely dangerous," Conde said. "We've got to ensure that everyone understands what today's leading-edge technology can and cannot do, including in the rural areas that abound in the Gem State."
"As a reminder, the 'assist' in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems is there for a reason. Truly autonomous vehicle robotaxi fleets are only operational in a few geo-fenced areas in a handful of cities nationwide, and no one can or should delegate the entire driving task to any car that's available for purchase today," Conde said. "In our automotive research, no ADAS technology has avoided a crash on every test run."
Attitudes about AVs also varies between generations. Millennials (60%) are less likely to be afraid of riding in a self-driving car, whereas Baby Boomers (77%) are more likely to be afraid, but they are more likely to believe that they can purchase and use these AVs currently.
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