While the car industry invests billions into the development of self-driving cars, a survey by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart has found that drivers have other ideas \u2013 with\n over 70% saying they would not feel safe travelling in one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nIAM RoadSmart, the UK\u2019s biggest independent road safety charity, asked more than 1,600 visitors to its website if they would feel \u2018confident and safe travelling in a fully self-driving\n vehicle, where there is no driver input.\u2019 Just over 70% would feel \u2018unsafe\u2019 or \u2018very unsafe\u2019 with only 4% feeling \u2018very safe.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nIn addition, three-quarters (75%) expressed some level of disagreement with the statement that the vehicle should \u2018always be in ultimate control,\u2019 with 40% strongly against it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was an overwhelming view that the driver should always be able to take over from a self-driving car should he or she need to. Over 90% of respondents agreed this should be the case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nThose surveyed were also very definite over a future where there is no human involvement in driving. When asked if they agree that \u2018all human drivers should be banned from driving\n on the roads once fully autonomous vehicles are widely available,\u2019 over 82% either \u2018disagreed\u2019 or \u2018strongly disagreed.\u2019\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nA future where the car takes over more of the driver functions also didn\u2019t fill those surveyed with joy.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nWhen asked if they were \u2018concerned about the progress towards a future where the vehicle takes over more and more functions previously controlled by the driver,\u2019 two-thirds said\n they were \u2018concerned\u2019 or \u2018very concerned.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nEven current technology in new cars does not fill some of those surveyed with confidence. When asked if they would be \u2018comfortable using current technology features on many cars\n such as adaptive cruise control, lane-assist and self-parking\u2019 more than a quarter (27%) said they would be \u2018uncomfortable\u2019 or \u2018very uncomfortable.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nHowever, over 50% were \u2018comfortable\u2019 or \u2018very comfortable\u2019 with using them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nNeil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, said: \u201cIt\u2019s clear from the results of our survey that the motor industry has a big job ahead in convincing drivers of\n the safety virtues of self-driving vehicles. While on paper they offer significant advantages in eliminating human error from collisions, there is a lot of confusion, misinformation and an over-abundance of terminology which has made the public distrustful\n of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cSome 44% of our respondents felt poorly or very poorly informed on autonomous vehicles with only 6% feeling very well informed. There needs to be an industry-standard on the\n acronyms and product names used, and car companies need to come together, alongside government, to ensure the facts out there are clearer and easy-to-understand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n