SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES: CONSUMERS LOSE CONFIDENCE

By Daniel Rufiange

Would you be willing to climb aboard a self-driving vehicle to reach your destination? That’s the question addressed to some 3,000 motorists by J. D. Power and one of the research departments of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). While the findings are not reassuring for those who believe in the future of these vehicles, a nuance is in order.

Firstly, on a scale of 100, a mere 37 points were scored to illustrate consumer confidence in automated vehicles. This is the second consecutive annual decline. To explain this loss of confidence, two factors have been identified: media coverage often focusing on the problems experienced by these vehicles, and the fact that many never had the opportunity to actually try them out.

The proof is in the pudding: when people have had the opportunity to do so, the recorded confidence score rises to 67.

Of course, there’s still work to be done, but as with all new products, it’s through their use that trust is established. Human beings are often resistant to change when faced with the unknown.