Skip to main content

Three-quarters of UK drivers ‘don’t want a driverless car’

This week the government announced plans to put US$31 million into the research of driverless cars. Thanks to this funding, autonomous cars are set to be trialled in the UK by the end of the year. With this in mind, independent vehicle supply group OSV carried out a survey to find out if they wanted driverless cars. Surveys were previously carried out when the conception of autonomous cars was first released. OSV wanted to know if opinions about driverless cars have changed now the research has develope
July 31, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
This week the government announced plans to put US$31 million into the research of driverless cars. Thanks to this funding, autonomous cars are set to be trialled in the UK by the end of the year.
 
With this in mind, independent vehicle supply group OSV carried out a survey to find out if they wanted driverless cars. Surveys were previously carried out when the conception of autonomous cars was first released. OSV wanted to know if opinions about driverless cars have changed now the research has developed.

The results were overwhelming; 75% per cent of the UK population said they did not want an autonomous car. People from England are even more against driverless cars, with 82 per cent saying they wouldn’t want one. People from Scotland are slightly keener than other countries in the UK with 26 per cent admitting they would want a driverless car.

Interestingly, men are more drawn to driverless cars than women, with 30 per cent of those surveyed stating that they would like one.  Only 19 per cent of females would like an autonomous car.

According to OSV, this contradicts other research which suggests women have the most to gain. Those with driverless cars will not need a driving license and with more women than men without licenses, women therefore will benefit the most.

Another insight from the survey found that 43 per cent of 18-25 year olds would want to buy an autonomous car. At the other end of the spectrum only 10 per cent of 55-64 year olds shared the same interest. Surprisingly, that figure rose to 27 per cent for the over 65s, which OSV says shows that the youngest and eldest age groups are the most interested in the driverless car revolution.

Related Content

  • Inrix aids authorities in dealing with data
    August 18, 2015
    New traffic data products and services have been launched to aid transport and urban planners and business with detailed intelligence on journey patterns, reports Jon Masters. Manual travel surveys ought soon to become a thing of the past for transport planners and the business community. The technology now exists for getting sophisticated levels of traffic and trip data from connected vehicles. Cars and commercial fleets carrying a GPS device, or a mobile phone or smartphone are the sources of the informat
  • Kapsch looks to the future
    December 16, 2014
    Colin Sowman reports from a two-day meeting where industry leaders, academics and political advisers presented their thoughts on the future of mobility. Most governments do not dare to introduce tolling systems… they are too frightened.” So said Georg Kapsch in his capacity of chief operating officer of Kapsch TrafficCom, during a forward-looking press event at the company’s headquarters in Vienna.
  • Incentive schemes target single occupancy commuters
    October 14, 2016
    Andrew Bardin Williams looks at state-run schemes to encourage green transportation habits with raffles, gift cards, competitions and frequent traveller points. The societal benefits of green transportation are obvious: less congestion, cleaner air and healthy economy. Equally the advantages for individuals are pretty clear too: a healthy lifestyle, freedom of movement and the feeling of being a part of something greater than oneself.
  • Survey points to dangerous decline in French driving standards
    May 21, 2012
    Based on a survey by TNS Sofres in February 2011, Axa Prévention reports that French driving standards are deteriorating and drivers seem to have lost their awareness of the risks.