Direct Line: UK not yet ready for driverless cars

Britons are not yet ready for the advent of driverless cars, with only 39% ready to embrace driverless technology, according to a new survey published by insurer Direct Line Group.

The survey, which polled 3.003 British adults, also found that 35% of Britons are sceptical of driverless technology.

Furthermore, only 32% of respondents believe driverless technology will make roads safer and only 18% believe computers make better decisions than humans.

Some 67% of those surveyed said they would prefer a vehicle in which they are control most of the time, with technology only taking control in an emergency.

The survey also showed that the question about who is liable in an accident poses a big challenge for the industry, with 54% of respondents believing that driverless technol9ogy should be liable in an accident.

Direct Line Group said the survey findings showed that the industry needed to work together to educate and support the public in the transition to driverless technology.

The insurer’s chief executive Paul Geddes said: “Advances in driverless technology will cause seismic shifts for the motoring and insurance industry, and we need to understand what people’s attitudes, emotions and behaviours to this new technology will be.

“Our research illustrates the importance of communicating the benefits on road safety this technology is expected to have, and supporting the public in the transition to driverless technology. We also understand the importance of educating the public on how to correctly use this technology so that the safety benefits can be realised. Direct Line Group, and the wider industry, have a critical role in the development and adoption of driverless cars on our roads.”

He added: “Over the coming months we’ll begin conversations with the wider industry – to help shine a light on safety concerns and demonstrate the experiential benefits this technology may offer to drivers of today and tomorrow.”