Automotive

Ipsos study: Most people want to drive their own cars

Would you be comfortable doing this?
AndreyPopov/Depositphotos
Would you be comfortable doing this?
AndreyPopov/Depositphotos

A new study from global market research group Ipsos has found that most people surveyed, upon buying a new car, want to drive it themselves – most are disinterested in automated driving technologies. In its Global Mobility Navigator Syndicated Study, the group surveyed over 20,000 new car buyers from 10 different countries.

“The study confirms new car buyers are simply not ready to hand over the driving responsibilities to their vehicle, even for a short amount of time," said Todd Markusic, VP of Ipsos Mobility. "A key and possibly overlooked revelation is that almost 70 percent of new car buyers simply enjoy driving."

Furthermore, drivers said that their primary concern with autonomous systems are pedestrian and other-vehicle safety. Many (about 44 percent) would remain focused on the road during autonomous driving. This implies a lack of trust in autonomous systems. Another concern was the possibility of hackers taking over a self-driving vehicle and causing an accident.

It was also found that only 15 percent of new vehicle buyers, globally, are interested in autonomous features. Only about 10 percent of Americans have experienced even low-level autonomy, but about half are aware of these systems' existence. Ipsos believes that putting people into cars with autonomous features would go a long way towards selling them on their safety.

“Getting vehicle owners to actually experience how good these systems truly are would have a tremendous impact on changing consumer perception relative to autonomous,” said Markusic.

According to the Ipsos study, only about six percent of new car buyers, globally, would purchase a fully autonomous vehicle (were it available), but 57 percent would buy one if the autonomy were optional and they could drive.

Additionally, only about 25 percent of Americans surveyed would consider an autonomous driver’s aid feature in their car. Car buyers were, however, highly interested in connected car features, especially for accident avoidance. The top-rated feature for new cars, according to the survey, was collision detection with automatic braking.

The Ipsos Mobility Navigator Study will continue, with the second and third parts covering vehicle electrification and shared mobility, respectively.

Source: Ipsos

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10 comments
Tony Morris
What a useless study! What does the average new car buyer perceive when you say "autonomous vehicle"? AV technology and utility fascinates me but until I actually spend some time being transported by an AV, I am certain I will continue to have no idea of the scope of benefits.
Joe Botha
I wonder if they would still feel this way when they realise driving yourself will take longer every single time. With automated vehicles being governed and routed for optimum travel time, and the IOT traffic lights giving preference to cars on its system, it will soon become a laborious schlep to drive yourself. Perhaps out in the countryside you could drive yourself. But certainly not in a city. That's just stupid.
CarolynFarstrider
This is a totally unbalanced survey. If you ask people whether they want an autonomous car, or a car that can be either driven autonomously or by them, then naturally they choose the second option since it is more flexible. Personally, I can’t wait for a safe autonomous car. Just think of the extra reading one could do whilst en route.... and I don’t think this will be too long in coming.
Troublesh00ter
If most people want to drive their own cars, as alleged by this study, why can't they be bothered to actually DRIVE, and treat that task as the primary one they should be concerned with while they are behind the wheel? I've heard too many stories about distracted driving, foolish and idiotic circumstances which wind people up in accidents because their focus was NOT on their chief responsibility as the pilot of a motor vehicle.

As an automotive enthusiast, I genuinely embrace and enjoy the process of driving, and I do so responsibly. I can't help but suspect that the reason why autonomous vehicles are becoming all the rage is because there are those for whom DRIVING is the distraction from what they would rather be doing, whether it's talking on the phone, fixing their makeup or updating their Facebook page.

Sorry, but I don't buy this "study" for one instant.
buzzclick
I have always loved to drive and enjoy it immensely, so it's not a choice for me. Perhaps having the option of autonomous off/on would be acceptable, so that on a long road trip I could choose to read or take a nap, but what happens when you get to the border? Would it know to get in a lineup and wait for customs? Sure, eventually all these wrinkles will get ironed out, but for now, you'll have to face the fact that the trip will take a lot longer (and put a lot of confidence in its abilities).
guzmanchinky
My new Mercedes sort of drives itself when the road is relatively well marked and not too curvy. But where I really love it is in stop and go traffic where it is flawless and I just sit back and relax. And this is not a very advanced system. My answer would be "I want to drive myself, except when I don't want to drive myself. And when I'm driving, I want the computer to prevent me from getting into a crash." That would be the ideal system.
ChiliDog
This a "No Duh" study. What don't these AI people actually come up with something we need.
ChiliDog
What happens when four autonomous cars pull up to a four way stop at the same time? I bet they just sit there and never go. There should always be the option of manual override. And, personally, I prefer to drive myself.
Douglas Rogers
I expect ownership to become very rare and this to be a cab. Ownership would be more of an investment, like a frozen yogurt machine.
buzzclick
Once these AV technologies take off, it will piss off a lot of people who are stuck behind them. And hey, someone's already shot a porn vid in one.