Do consumers trust driverless vehicles? That depends on whom you ask.
A study by Autolist.com, which provides information for vehicle buyers, shows “deep demographic differences in the trust of autonomous technology,” according to the website.
The Autolist.com analysis, based on a study of 21,322 vehicle owners, showed differences among ride sharers. Uber riders are less trusting of autonomous technology than Lyft riders: Data shows that the number of people who would not trust any form of autonomy today is 7 percent higher for Uber riders than it is for Lyft riders.
In addition, Lyft riders are more trusting of all forms of self-driving technology.
There also was a divide in self-driving trust between genders.
According to the data, the number of women who would not trust any form of self-driving vehicle is 12.3 percent higher than the number of men who would not trust one. Men are more trusting of all forms of autonomous technology.
Beyond gender, the study found a link between the type of vehicle people are thinking about buying next and their trust of autonomous vehicles.
Prospective EV owners are 23.2 percent more likely to trust self-driving cars than those not considering an EV. In addition, 20.5 percent more prospective EV owners believe some form of autonomous technology should be allowed by law today.
As the self-driving car horizon nears, it’s clear that automakers and service providers will need to work harder to gain the trust of some demographics than they will for others.
