Most Canadians don't want to own an autonomous vehicle
A recent report by CarGurus indicates that Canadians are split when it comes to autonomous vehicles, with as many saying they're enthusiastic about the tech as there are concerned about it.
While 32 per cent of those polled are excited about the development of self-driving vehicles, 29 per cent are concerned and 38 per cent are neutral about it.
Results
Those polled showed plenty of concerns about self-driving technology, with nearly half of respondents believing that cars equipped with such a feature will be very expensive. Just 44 per cent responded they’re not comfortable relying on these features for safety, while 41 per cent said they’re worried about who is responsible when something goes wrong. Just a quarter believe that the technology isn’t ready yet, which is wild considering that there are no self-driving vehicles available, and just a select few vehicles that can operate without your hands on the wheel.
Designated driver or binge-watch enabler?
When it comes to imagining a world with self-driving vehicles, over half of the participants in the survey want an autonomous vehicle to drive them home safely when they’re too tired or potentially under the influence of alcohol. Other popular scenarios include self-parking/valeting cars, vehicles that can pick up groceries, or technology that can carpool your kids to school or other activities. Some workaholics believe they’ll use self-driving vehicles to get more work done while on the go, while media addicts feel they’ll catch up on their social feeds, the latest movies and TV shows, or find other ways to entertain themselves while being chauffeured about in an autonomous car.
Canadians Dig Driver Aids
The report addressed Canadians’ attitudes towards driver assistance features as well. Of those surveyed, 70 per cent agreed that driver aids improve the safety of car travel. Many even expressed interest in features like blind-spot monitoring, pedestrian detection, surround-view cameras, automatic emergency braking, driver attention monitors, rear-cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, automatic parking, and traffic sign recognition. The good news is that new vehicles today offer many of these features as standard equipment.