Autonomous vehicle technology will change how people live and move around in cities. As a mode of transport, the benefits of autonomous vehicles include independence, comfort and safety for riders. Applied to services like parcel delivery and waste collection, autonomous technology also promises to address worker shortages and reduce congestion.
Technological progress and regulatory approval are key enablers of autonomous vehicles and their mass adoption. But there is one factor that will make or break their success: public acceptance, which represents a significant hurdle.
The issue of public acceptance not only relates to whether people feel comfortable riding inside a driverless car, it also extends to how other road users interact with the vehicle. Early trials of driverless cars have been met with public backlash, including attacks on vehicles and threats against operators. Even behaviour that is not intended to cause physical damage but born out of curiosity, such as stepping in front of a driverless car to see its reaction, significantly affects their operational efficiency. A recent study further found that trust remains a concern expressed among all respondents.
