New research reveals motorists’ biggest concerns about driverless cars

New research* has revealed that just over half of motorists (57%) are concerned about the feeling of not being in control of self-driving cars.

The study, commissioned by leading vehicle history check and valuation specialists HPI, polled the views of over 2,000 UK adults and also found that the next biggest area of concern for under half of drivers (49%) was the behaviour of other road users.

The poll found that women are slightly more concerned about not feeling in complete control than men (60% v 55%).

Two in five drivers (41%) are concerned about being involved in an accident, and just over three in ten (37.5%) said that the general state and conditions of UK roads worry them.

A third of motorists (37%) are concerned about how driverless cars interact, and a third (35%) worry about their lack of confidence in using the technology. Faults and breakdowns are on the minds of three in ten (35%); similarly, 35% have trust issues with driverless cars.

34% are deterred by the cost of a driverless car, assuming they are more expensive than normal cars; not being able to drive how they would like to is an issue for just one in five (20%), and sticking to speed limits is a worry for less than one in ten (9%).

Trust levels in driverless cars among younger drivers (18-26-year-olds) are two and a half times higher than they are among drivers aged 55-64 and over 65s (26% vs 13% vs 10%).

In May 2024, the Automated Vehicles Act (AV Act) was passed into law, providing the legal framework for driverless cars to operate on UK roads. The AV Act sets out all the safety standards, data security, and insurance requirements and could see driverless cars operational as soon as 2026.

Matt Freeman, managing consultant at HPI, said: “Fully autonomous vehicles could be on UK roads by as early as 2026, so the results of our study into concerns around driverless technology are encouraging. Drivers seem to be prepared to adopt the technology, and general trepidation levels are fairly balanced, especially as the vehicles are not even around at present. The arrival of driverless cars will be the biggest technological advancement to happen in the automotive sector for decades. It seems to be an exciting area of motoring for most people, especially younger generations.”

“Our latest research into public attitudes towards driverless cars shows that attitudes are most definitely shifting, and the results indicate that people are getting increasingly used to the idea. Perhaps the increasing use and trust of artificial intelligence in other areas of life is partly responsible for this, as well as the fact that many drivers have been comfortable with using autonomous tech in their cars already for several years, such as auto braking, adaptive cruise control, lane assist and driver assistance systems.”

HPI provides the UK’s longest-running vehicle check service, including comprehensive car history checks, free valuations and quick, easy MOT history checks. https://www.hpi.co.uk/

* Research conducted by a national independent research provider in October 2024, from a nationally representative sample of 2,027 UK adults. Total sample size polled: 2,437. Percentages selected from those respondents who expressed a view.