If the technological tea leaves are to be believed, autonomous vehicles might dominate society in just a couple decades. The world is still a ways off from that driverless future for now, and according to a new study from finance advice website NerdWallet, there needs to be some serious convincing to persuade people to own a model that can pilot itself. Forty-nine percent of those surveyed weren't interested in owning a model that drives itself.
NerdWallet's study is based on the results of an online survey of 1,028 people in the US with a split of 52 percent female and 48 percent male. Based on these results, there's still a major gulf in autonomous technology's acceptance: 37 percent of women report being interested in it versus 50 percent of men. The biggest concern among 55 percent of ladies is about the safety of a driverless car. Conversely, 37 percent of guys share that apprehension. For what it's worth, Google has reported 12 accidents among its fleet of self-driving test vehicles in over a million miles worth of testing.
Only a tiny group fully trusts these innovations for now. Just six percent of respondents would be willing to put a child in an autonomous vehicle to take a ride to school alone, and another 18 percent reported being unsure about doing it.
At 44 percent, men have a bigger fear that autonomous vehicles might take away the thrill of being behind the wheel; only 23 percent of women share that worry. The anxiety might have a little merit because Audi can already lap a driverless TTS around a racetrack faster than a human, and BMW's M235i can drift itself.
Marketers are going to have a challenge when it comes to selling autonomous tech. Right now, 50 percent of respondents aren't willing to pay more for self-driving features. Also, only three percent would actually buy a driverless car today. Most people are waiting at least three years before considering purchasing one.
NerdWallet's study is based on the results of an online survey of 1,028 people in the US with a split of 52 percent female and 48 percent male. Based on these results, there's still a major gulf in autonomous technology's acceptance: 37 percent of women report being interested in it versus 50 percent of men. The biggest concern among 55 percent of ladies is about the safety of a driverless car. Conversely, 37 percent of guys share that apprehension. For what it's worth, Google has reported 12 accidents among its fleet of self-driving test vehicles in over a million miles worth of testing.
Only a tiny group fully trusts these innovations for now. Just six percent of respondents would be willing to put a child in an autonomous vehicle to take a ride to school alone, and another 18 percent reported being unsure about doing it.
At 44 percent, men have a bigger fear that autonomous vehicles might take away the thrill of being behind the wheel; only 23 percent of women share that worry. The anxiety might have a little merit because Audi can already lap a driverless TTS around a racetrack faster than a human, and BMW's M235i can drift itself.
Marketers are going to have a challenge when it comes to selling autonomous tech. Right now, 50 percent of respondents aren't willing to pay more for self-driving features. Also, only three percent would actually buy a driverless car today. Most people are waiting at least three years before considering purchasing one.
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