Many Americans Apprehensive About Self-Driving Cars: Study

The majority of Americans (76 percent) say they would feel less safe driving or riding in cars with self-driving features. Similarly, 73 percent of people would feel less safe knowing others on the road are traveling in cars with self-driving features, according to a recent survey from Policygenius.

Respondents were also skeptical about the potential of such technology, with 33 percent saying that even a car with “full self-driving capability” would require constant attention from the driver.

“Whether because of road rage, reckless driving or car accidents, it’s understandable that many people are wary of taking their eyes off the road and relying on a self-driving car,” said Rachael Brennan, a licensed property/casualty insurance expert at Policygenius. “As advances in autonomous vehicle technology continue, auto companies and insurance companies will need to resolve a number of challenges, from helping people feel safe on the road to navigating new insurance implications, like who is at fault in an autonomous vehicle incident.”

Speaking of fault, respondents were divided 50/50 on who should be held responsible if a car crashes while self-driving features are in control—the driver or the car manufacturer.

Other findings from the Policygenius 2022 Self-Driving Cars Survey include:

• 38 percent of respondents think the extra safety features that come with a self-driving car should earn an insurance discount, but 62 percent think insurance for cars with self-driving features should cost more than for cars without them.
• 24 percent of Americans believe that drivers can currently buy a car designed to let them take their eyes off the road while driving.
• 79 percent of those surveyed said they would not pay more to own a car with self-driving features.

Policygenius commissioned Google Surveys to poll a nationally representative sample of 1,500 adults aged 18 and older. The average margin of error for responses is +/- 6.1 percent.