Almost two-thirds of motorists (64%) say they are worried about sharing roads with autonomous, self-driving vehicles when trials start in the UK next year, shows new research.
November’s Startline Used Car Tracker shows 64% would also be more cautious around these vehicles, 28% don’t think the technology should be tested on public highways, 27% believe they will make roads less safe and 11% expect them to behave erratically.
However, 41% are curious about self-driving vehicles, saying they are interested in observing their behaviour, 39% plan to drive as they normally would around any other vehicle, 21% expect to get used to them quickly and 15% think they will make roads safer.
UK trials of self-driving technology are due to start in 2026, initially for passenger-carrying vehicles such as buses and taxis, with Waymo and Uber both planning to take part. The legislation behind the move – the Autonomous Vehicles Act – states that vehicles need to be capable of matching a careful human.
Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said, “There has been news of autonomous vehicles in the press for some years that has prompted a great deal of public interest but the situation will get real with tests starting on our roads next year.
“Findings show there is a high degree of nervousness around their arrival, which is very much understandable – suddenly finding yourself sharing a road with a vehicle that has no driver will be a new and unnerving experience for most motorists. Responding to that situation by driving more cautiously is a very human response.
“However, there is also much curiosity and notably, around four in 10 plan to drive around autonomous vehicles in exactly the same way as they would any other, and one in five believe they will get used to them quickly. A significant minority have an open mind about this kind of technology.”
