Drivers Increasingly Afraid Of Autonomous Vehicles, Survey Finds
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Drivers are increasingly wary of autonomous vehicles, with fear of self-driving technology spiking in the past year, the American Automobile Association (AAA) annual survey on consumer attitudes to automated vehicles shows.
About 68 percent of American drivers are afraid of autonomous vehicles in 2023, according to survey data. An additional 23 percent of drivers are “unsure” of their attitude to the technology, leaving only nine percent who trust self-driving vehicles.
Attitudes to autonomous vehicles changed sharply compared to the 2022 AAA annual automated vehicle survey, when 55 percent of drivers were afraid of the technology. Last year, 15 percent trusted self-driving vehicles and 30 percent were unsure. Earlier years showed roughly similar distributions.
AAA’s director of automotive research Greg Brannon said the 13 percent surge in negative attitudes toward autonomous vehicles was unexpected. However, he also remarked, “with the number of high-profile crashes that have occurred from over-reliance on current vehicle technologies, this isn’t entirely surprising.”
About ten percent of drivers also mistakenly believe consumer vehicles with current self-driving technology are fully robotic, able to drive themselves to a destination while the driver sleeps in their seat. Naming schemes for these driver assist features contribute to the misperception. Nearly a quarter of Americans believe Tesla’s AutoPilot and other technologies with “pilot” in the name are able to drive autonomously with no human input.
GM’s autonomous technology has names less likely to be mistaken for robotic, fully autonomous vehicles. Super Cruise provides semi-autonomous driver assistance which includes enabling its driver to remove their hands from the steering wheel during extended periods of highway driving. The NHTSA classifies it as a Level 2 autonomous technology, far short of the Level 5 classification given to fully self-driving vehicles requiring no human attention or input.
Super Cruise was formerly hailed as the number-one active driving assistance system by Consumer Reports. However, Ford’s BlueCruise displaced it in 2023 because of its “collaborative driving” capability. This enables the driver to take over driving briefly, then hand control back to BlueCruise without needing to switch it on again. Super Cruise, though still a close second in the rankings, disengages fully when any driver input occurs, making the interface relatively more troublesome and awkward to deal with.
GM’s upcoming Ultra Cruise greatly extends the capabilities of Super Cruise for autonomous vehicles. Planned for a 2023 debut on certain Cadillac brand vehicles, Ultra Cruise will eventually enable hands-free driving in 95 percent of all driving scenarios on every paved road in the United States and Canada. Ultra Cruise uses a mixture of cameras, radars and LiDAR to develop a precise 360-degree, three-dimensional picture of its environment. It will also feature a Human Machine Interface or HMI able to warn drivers when they need to provide input or take over.
Level 5 autonomous vehicles that can drive themselves without a human driver’s attention or input are not currently available for consumer purchase. The survey notes fear of current semi-autonomous driving systems highlights the need for much greater consumer education about autonomous vehicles and driver assistance technology.
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It doesn’t help that we can’t go a day without some idiot crashing a Tesla, or some hit piece on automated technology. Despite the worst autonomous driver aids being better drivers than 90% of the drivers on the road.
At the other commenter, no GM isn’t “leaps and bounds” ahead of Tesla. Nor does “Tesla use unproven technology”. What “unproven” technology do you think they use that GM doesn’t? Tesla removed LiDAR, and GM doesn’t use it either. Both are cam based autonomous units, for the most part.
I would also question MB claim of Level 3 on it’s face. I would be surprised if any automaker gets completely to level 3 before the end of the decade.
Good points Brandon – MB’s level 3 is only in Nevada and is conditionally permissive only on a few select roads and is limited to 40mph. And GM isn’t even close to Tesla in this arena – GM’s money burning Cruise is Geofenced and still has problems with its small fleet experiencing cars stopping, crashing, etc DAILY. GM’s Super Cruise is good, but is limited to a small percent of roads. The reason most people fear it is Hatestream media pushing a narrative – imagine if every accident a GM car was involved in was plastered all over the media with headlines making unverified claims (with no follow up story) it would take up all of the medias time to push other narratives.
Tesla could do us all a favor and implement a better driver attention detection by retrofitting a camera, or some other check outside of the steering wheel torque sensor. That would go a long way to getting these stupid narratives out of the news. I’m not saying Tesla isn’t blameless, or that their tech is perfect. It’s far from it. Nor am I a Tesla fanboy. (I don’t own their cars, stock, etc.) But they did get the dinosaurs to finally put money into autonomous tech, even if some still lag significantly. It says something with a 20k corolla comes standard with TSS, where GM makes you trim up. Also, the automakers should be doing more to counter this stupid narrative that the tech is dangerous due to some silly news reports from terrible/idiotic tesla drivers.
“Drivers Increasingly Afraid Of Autonomous Vehicles, Survey Finds”
This title infers that drivers were already “more comfortable” with this technology in the first place. I may be in the minority then, but I’ve never felt comfortable with any of it. Every time I’m being approached by a Tesla coming up behind or towards me, I get a little nervous. I don’t trust any of them, even though the Super Cruise I tested at a Cadillac event was impressive.
Use it, don’t abuse it, and you will trust it. It’s not some magical device that will randomly hit people. It has limits, just like every aspect of your non-autonomous car. Also, you will never be rear-ended by a tesla, which further proves you don’t understand it. That is the main use case that i can 100% say will not happen. (outside of cutting it off which exceeds its ability to stop based on the laws of physics.
Brandon: It’s you that obviously isn’t understanding this stuff. There’s way (WAY) too many Tesla accidents where the car slammed into fire-trucks, etc and way too many that have been involved in accidents with their automated system activated. Sounds to me like you are just a Tesla fanboy. Elon, is that you?
BTW, I have used different forms of this technology in the real world. I’ve tested GM’s Supercruise. I work at a Volvo store and after many miles behind the wheel and using their system, I will never use it again.
Bottom line is this: If you don’t wish to drive, then stay the hell off the roads or hire an Uber to take your a** where you wish to go.
Yeah, I don’t drive with it everyday. Using a bs anecdote, that you don’t understand, about technology you don’t understand, doesn’t make it factually true. Again, if you understand the limitations of the technology, you know that if you are driving 50+ and encounter a stopped vehicle (AS I SPECIFICALLY STATED PREVIOUSLY) it is outside of the limitations of the technology. Subaru lists theirs is capable of a 29 mph speed delta. I don’t know what Tesla’s is capable of. So, if a Tesla, or any ADAS runs up on a stopped vehicle running 30-50 plus, as I stated, not that you can read, it can’t register and initiate braking in time to stop. Again, either learn what you are talking about, or don’t speak on it.
The data speaks for itself. TSS has shown a 20% reduction in accidents. God knows it would make you a better driver.
Moron.
And everyone wants an EV, too.
This technology should be outlawed.
It will never be outlawed because libbies need to get from point A to point B while checking their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter feeds during that whopping 20 minutes in the car,
What better way to get that social media junk done than have a machine drive for you?
Thank you Marjorie Taylor Greene. Your well thought out comments are an inspiration to all of us.
Now there’s an ignorant comment. (morrisangelo and Brandon)
You should be outlawed. Luddite.
Your driving experience should not be passive, autonomous, or distracted. It should be engaging, interactive, attentive; and did I forget to mention “defensive”. If you want to rely on your vehicle to do the driving for you, then maybe you shouldn’t be driving at all. Matter of fact, surrender your driver’s license as well. It will help keep other motorists safer too!
The NHTSA data 100% proves you wrong. Also, typically the macho types whining about “autonomous driving” are always the worst drivers. On par, or those with, baby on board stickers. I have already posted the link, if it is out of “awaiting moderation”.
Did you see the news story about the lady apparently asleep at the wheel of her Tesla rolling down a California highway? Not very “smart” of her, and “totally” unsafe. And it’s not the only incident of this type on record. Should we only expect to see more of this in the future? Scary!
Shocking, I’m soooo surprised that never happened prior to ADAS….. Oh, wait.
Funny how you can only point to single anecdotes but you ignore the broad data showing that accidents are on cars with ADAS are down relative their counterparts. Congrats, you are really genius level.
Are we actively engaging sensible conversation here, or have “you” prematurely evolved into A.I.? (artificial intelligence). ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) are designed to “assist” the driving experience, not replace it. Would you get on an autonomous plane someday too?
Did I say that it was designed as anything more than an “Assist”? Also, yes, the majority of your trips on a plane today are “autonomous”. In fact, the airlines have been lobbying to remove a second pilot. I’m not ignorantly scared of technology you haven’t bothered to understand.
When ADAS becomes so advanced, it may over compensate for real time driving skills. If drivers don’t learn or exercise those skills, they may ultimately diminish and lend to even more driver competency and safety concerns.
may is doing a buttload of heavy lifting here. I may eat dinner tonight. It may give me diabetes. However, neither of those are likely outcomes. Currently, using the best available data, ADAS reduces auto accidents, it doesn’t increase them. Will it in the future, maybe, maybe not. We have no way of knowing until the future comes.
A fantastic comment, Barry!
Bottom line: Stay Awake, Stay Alert, Stay Alive…as “you” drive!