Study Says Over Half Of People Don't Want To Ride In An Autonomous Car

Autonomous cars are coming and are set to redefine the industry. However, not everyone is confident in their abilities.

A recent study conducted by Gartner, dubbed Gartner Consumer Trends in Automotive, surveyed roughly 1,500 people in the U.S. and Germany about their thoughts on autonomous cars and whether they’d be happy to ride in one.

A significant 55 per cent of respondents said they wouldn’t ride in a fully-autonomous car. However, 70 per cent said they’d happily ride in a semi-autonomous car as they could take control if necessary.

The study found that many people still have reservations about autonomous vehicles because everyday electronic devices can occasionally malfunction and they fear the same could happen to a self-driving car. In fact, many of those surveyed expressed concerns about the autonomous system becoming confused in an unexpected scenario or failing altogether.

In an interview with CNBC, Gartner research director Mike Ramsey said “The big issue is that people are afraid of being in vehicles where they cannot exercise some control. For these to be a success, people can't get in the car and feel like they don't know what to do.”

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