AAA conducted a survey where drivers in Illinois and across the U.S. expressed their opinion on self-driving cars. Of course, these cars are at least a decade away from being realized, but automakers need to know where they may be said to fail in generating support for them. The survey asked if drivers would feel safe in a self-driving car, and only 12% answered yes. And 28% said they don’t know what to think about such cars.
Respondents did explain what it is they want to know most about self-driving cars. Fifty-seven percent were interested in the question of liability in the event of a crash with a self-driving car. Fifty-one percent desired to know what laws would go to make the cars safe, and 49% wondered just how susceptible the cars will be to hacking.
Respondents also mentioned those things that they believe will help them overcome their doubts about the new tech. For example, 72% said they would feel safer in a self-driving car if they had the ability to take control of it in case of emergencies, and 69% said the same for a human back-up driver. 47% said they would feel safe after finding out that a self-driving car had passed stringent tests and inspections.
In the meantime, automakers are trying to work out the issues associated with semi-autonomous vehicles. It turns out that the safety features in these cars are inadvertently making drivers inattentive to the road. Those who are injured by a distracted driver may pursue a personal injury claim, but they may want legal representation because this form of negligence can be hard to prove. Third-party investigators may come in to assist, and medical experts may measure the extent of injuries.