Global Study: New Car Buyers Still Prefer Standard Cars Over Self-Driving Cars

A recent worldwide study found that new car buyers continue to enjoy and prefer the experience of driving. When asked whether they would consider fully self-driving cars (a/k/a as autonomous vehicles) or vehicles with autonomous modes, drivers stated their clear preferences. Key findings by Ipsos Mobility:

"1) Roughly half of new car buyers have some familiarity with autonomous mode; Familiarity highest in China and Japan; 2) On a global basis, 36% would consider a vehicle with autonomous mode however, only 12% would Definitely Consider; 3) If given the choice, only 6% of new car buyers would purchase a fully autonomous vehicle while the majority (57%) would purchase a vehicle with an autonomous mode and 37% would just purchase a standard vehicle..."

To summarize: it's the driving experience which matters.

Ipsos surveyed 20,000 drivers across ten countries: Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The 2019 "Global Mobility Navigator Syndicated Study" includes three modules: a) Autonomous and Advanced Features, b) Electric Vehicles (Needs & Intentions), and c) Shared Mobility (Car Sharing & Ride Hailing). The above findings are from the first module.

Secondary findings about autonomous features in cars:

"The auto industry is also battling an awareness issue with the new technology. Globally, only 15% said they knew a fair amount about Autonomous mode... while there are enjoyment factors to consider in the autonomous future, there are also safety concerns for consumers. The study revealed one is pedestrian safety as well as other vehicles, while the driver’s own safety is a slightly lower concern. Meanwhile, if a driver did use the autonomous mode, 44% state they would still remain focused on the road. This implies a tremendous lack of trust in the system’s ability to safely self-drive. Another big worry for consumers is the security of the vehicle’s data. A strong concern was the possibility of someone hacking into their self-driving system and causing an accident."

The report listed 16 features for "connected cars," including Predicting The Traffic, Advanced Drive Assist Systems, Search For Nearby Parking Lots, Automated Parking, Smart Refueling/Recharging, and more. Additional details about the report and features are available here.