Survey: Opinions on Self-Driving Cars Vary Between New Yorkers, Texans
The topic is a polarizing one, according to Volvo
Volvo is aggressively pushing for self-driving cars. It's putting 100 autonomous cars on public roads in Gothenburg, Sweden by next year and another 100 on London's streets by 2018. A similar plan is expected to roll out in China. To study the public's perception of these emerging vehicles, the automaker surveyed nearly 50,000 people worldwide and gathered some interesting insights. Not surprisingly, opinions vary greatly depending on where you live.
For one thing, 55 percent of respondents say they want a steering wheel in a fully autonomous car, supporting the findings of an earlier survey that had a smaller sample size. Google has cooked up an autonomous car prototype with no steering wheel or brakes, although many argue cars should have these features at least until the technology is proven.
The survey also revealed that 72 percent of people think automakers should preserve the experience of manual driving. Most people around the globe still want to take control of the driving experience in some capacity; 69 percent want to be able to choose the route they will take in an autonomous car.
A whopping 72 percent of people believe car manufacturers will make autonomous cars a reality, rather than tech companies like Google. But 80 percent of drivers also expect automakers to accept liability for accidents while vehicles are operating in autonomous mode.
In one part of its survey, Volvo narrows in on U.S. consumers, and it turns out people's opinions vary widely based on the region in which they live. Nine out of 10 New Yorkers and 86 percent of Californians feel autonomous cars could make life easier, but residents of Illinois and Texas are less accepting. Only 52 percent of Illinois residents say they trust autonomous cars, down 10 percent from the national average. And only 60 percent of Texans are convinced of the safety benefits of autonomous cars, down from the average of 69 percent.
Check out the infographic below for more survey results. Where do you stand on autonomous cars?
Source: Volvo
When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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