New Kelley Blue Book Survey Finds Most Americans Have Reservations about Self-Driving Cars

Date: Oct. 11, 2016 –

Kelley Blue Book and the market research firm Vital Findings recently asked more than 2,200 Americans between the ages of 12 and 64 what they thought about self-driving cars.

One of the biggest take-aways from the survey is that Americans’ opinions about self-driving cars are still unsettled and even contradictory. For example, 51% of respondents said they prefer to have full control over their vehicles, even if that makes roads less safe for other drivers. But at the same time, 49% said they prefer to have a safer roadway for all, even if that means they have less control over their own vehicles.

Key Findings from the Survey

  • 60% of all respondents stated that they know little or nothing about autonomous vehicles.
  • 43% of Gen Z (12 to 15 years old) respondents stated that they know a lot about autonomous cars; in contrast, only 1% of baby boomers (51 to 64 years old) reported the same high level of knowledge.
  • 63% of all respondents agreed that roadways would be safer if autonomous vehicles were “standard.”
  • 37% of all respondents agreed that roadways would be safer if all vehicles were fully operated by human drivers.
  • 51% of ride-share users stated they would prefer to ride in autonomous vehicles.
  • 80% of all respondents stated that drivers should always have the option to take full control of their vehicles.
  • 62% of all respondents did not expect to live long enough to see a world where all vehicles are fully autonomous. However, 67% of Gen Z respondents thought they would see fully autonomous vehicles on the road during their lifetimes.
  • Overall, current buyers of luxury cars are more likely to find autonomous vehicles appealing than are buyers of lower-end vehicles.

To Explore Further . . .

If you’d like to learn more about the future of driverless cars, plan to attend our upcoming Driverless Cities Summit, to be held from October 26-28 in San Mateo, California. The Summit will highlight the latest activities of regulators, modern designs for smart city planning, cutting-edge tech and applications for connectivity and paradigms for allocating funding.