Autonomous Vehicles Can Increase Safety, 43% Say

Some 52% of Americans believe they are familiar with autonomous vehicles, and 57% of that group says they are willing to ride in them, according to a new HNTB America THINKS survey.

Among that same group, slightly more than half (51%) believe AVs are safer than human-driven vehicles.

The survey also explored what consumers view as the key benefits of self-driving cars.

The single most important benefit cited by all survey respondents was increased mobility for non-drivers — with 52% ranking it as the top benefit. Reduced accidents and increased safety came in second, with 43% of respondents citing it as a significant benefit of AVs. Finally, improvements to the environment along with improved safety for pedestrians and bicyclists were each cited by 23% of respondents.

Noteworthy, as it concerns safety, the survey found that an overwhelming 91% of people believe self-driving cars should be required to have a person on board who could override the automation in the event of an emergency.

Another key finding: More than six in 10 Americans surveyed are concerned about the privacy of data generated by autonomous vehicles.  

Conducted online by Russell Research, HNTB's America THINKS survey, Sharing the Road with Autonomous Vehicles 2019, polled a random nationwide sample of 1,018 Americans, ages 18 and older, from April 5 to 8.