ORLANDO, Fla. (March 14, 2024) – A majority of U.S. drivers express concern (66%) or uncertainty (25%) about fully self-driving cars, and this concern has not decreased since it spiked last year, according to AAA’s latest survey on self-driving cars. However, interest in semi-autonomous technologies such as automatic emergency braking (AEB) and lane-keeping assist remains high. The survey results suggest that to alleviate concerns, the industry needs to continue to advance vehicle technology in a way that is reasonable and consistent with overall performance.
“Consumer concerns have been growing for the past few years,” said Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering research at AAA. “Given the numerous and highly publicized accidents involving current automotive technology, it’s no wonder people are concerned about its safety.”
Despite public fears about self-driving cars, interest in advanced driver assistance systems remains high. According to a AAA survey, nearly two-thirds of U.S. drivers want reverse automatic emergency braking (65%), automatic emergency braking (63%), or lane keeping assist (62%) in their next car purchase. Ensuring consistency in the performance and naming of these systems is crucial to keeping interest high.
Interestingly, the majority of U.S. drivers believe AEB will also stop a vehicle if another vehicle, a child, an adult pedestrian, or a bicyclist is in front of or behind the vehicle. However, a recent AAA study found that in a reversing scenario where the target vehicle crossed behind the test vehicle, a reverse AEB system prevented a crash only 1 in 40 tests, and only 10 in 20 tests where there was a stationary child target behind the test vehicle.
AAA believes that to alleviate consumer concerns, ADAS performance should reflect reasonable, safe scenarios with a clear understanding of limitations. Advanced vehicle safety technologies should enhance driver awareness, not give the impression that they will replace an attentive driver. When asked if there are cars that can drive themselves while they sleep (fully self-driving cars are not yet available for consumers to purchase), 4 in 10 drivers said they are not sure or do not believe they could purchase a car that drives itself while they sleep, which is a significant safety concern for these technologies.
“AAA looks forward to working with automakers to standardize system naming and performance across the industry. By working together, we can help consumers understand the technology they have in their cars and educate them on how, when and where to use these systems appropriately. This effort will help give drivers confidence in future vehicles with more advanced automated technology,” said Brannon.
AAA resources:
methodology
The survey was conducted January 11-16, 2024, using a probability-based panel designed to be representative of the entire U.S. household population. The panel represents a sample of approximately 97% of the U.S. household population. Most surveys were completed online, with consumers without internet access being surveyed by phone.
1,220 U.S. adults age 18 and older were interviewed, of which 1,010 were surveyed. The overall margin of error for the survey is 4.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The margin of error is larger for smaller subgroups.
About AAA
Founded in 1902 by automobile enthusiasts who wanted to improve America’s roads and advocate for safer ways to travel, AAA has grown to become the largest membership organization in North America. Today, AAA enriches the lives of more than 64 million members across North America, including more than 57 million in the United States, by providing roadside assistance, travel, discount, finance and insurance services. To learn more about all AAA benefits or to register for a membership, visit AAA.com.
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