Skip to main content

ADVI research shows most Australians want self-driving cars

Seventy per cent of Australians want a self-driving car able to take over when they feel tired or bored, according to new research by the Australian Driverless Vehicle Initiative (ADVI), announced at this week’s ITS World Congress. In addition, just under three quarters (73%) of Australians would like an autonomous vehicle to transport them when they feel physically or mentally unable to drive manually. The survey, of 5,000 Australians aged over 18, is the first comprehensive national study of the Aus
October 12, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
South Australian transport and infrastructure minister Stephen Mullighan on the Advi stand
Seventy per cent of Australians want a self-driving car able to take over when they feel tired or bored, according to new research by the Australian Driverless Vehicle Initiative (ADVI), announced at this week’s 6456 ITS World Congress.

In addition, just under three quarters (73%) of Australians would like an autonomous vehicle to transport them when they feel physically or mentally unable to drive manually.

The survey, of 5,000 Australians aged over 18, is the first comprehensive national study of the Australian public's attitude toward driverless vehicles.

“Given the lack of community interaction with self-driving cars to date, it's encouraging that almost half (47%) of the Australian population believe they will be safer than humans,” said professor Michael Regan of the Australian Road Research Board.

Regan added that a quarter disagree driverless cars will be safer, and a quarter remain undecided, highlighting the importance of continued community education to communicate the safety benefits.

Interestingly, the research also found that more than half (62%) of Australians do not think autonomous technology should increase the cost of a vehicle.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Ertico is looking east: here’s why
    March 3, 2020
    The first Central Eastern Congress on ITS is to be held in Russia in September. Jacob Bangsgaard, CEO of Ertico – ITS Europe, tells Adam Hill why the event is necessary – and what visitors can expect
  • Gearing up for IntelliDrive cooperative traffic management
    February 1, 2012
    Beginning in the first quarter of 2010 it became evident that the IntelliDrivesm programme direction had been reestablished, by the USDOT's ITS Joint Program Office (JPO), after being adrift for a few years. The programme was now moving toward a deployment future and with a much broader stakeholder involvement than it had exhibited previously. By today not only is it evident that the programme was reestablished with a renewed emphasis on deployment, it is also apparent that it is moving along at a faster pa
  • ITS World Congress examines challenges of autonomous vehicles?
    December 11, 2015
    The 2015 ITS World Congress opening ceremony saw PSA Peugeot Citroën executives arrive in an autonomous vehicle, so the International Benefits, Evaluation and Costs (IBEC) Working Group’s dedicated session proved very timely.
  • New Haven shows small can be beautiful
    October 22, 2014
    Connecticut’s new administration is using smart policy and ITS solutions to bridge social divides. Andrew Bardin Williams investigates. With only 130,000 residents, New Haven can hardly be called a metropolis. Measuring less than 502km (18 square miles), the city is huddled against the coast, squeezed between two mountains (appropriately called East Rock and West Rock) that, at 111m and 213m (366ft and 700ft) respectively, can hardly be called mountains. The airport is small and has limited service, and th