According to a recent Gallup poll, around 54 percent of Americans claimed to be unwilling to utilize self-driving cars, with only a surprising 25 percent in favor. This comes from a common negative stigma that these automated vehicles are not nearly as safe as manually driven cars. Although most people wouldn’t drive these vehicles themselves, the survey also found that 62 percent of Americans feel unsafe about driving on the same road as autonomous trucks, showing an overall disapproval of this upcoming innovation.
Thirty years ago, Americans imagined autonomous vehicles to only exist in fiction, but with rapid developments in the motor vehicle industry, it seems like we won’t have to imagine much longer. Self-driven cars are bound to roam our streets in the upcoming year to come, and most people aren’t sure what to make of it. This is a completely new idea that most previous generations would’ve only seen in movies or science-fiction novels, but this new innovation is live and imminent.
Of course, there is obviously an age gap in the rate of approval for these vehicles, which makes sense as to why the approval ratings are so low. Those who claimed to be willing to drive these vehicles were young adults between the ages 18 and 35; these individuals are obviously much more excited for the autonomous vehicle because they’re focusing on the futuristic aspect of it all. Traditionally, Americans wanted a car that was roomy, stylish, but most importantly, safe for their families.
The issue with these new autonomous cars is that they’re extremely innovative and new to Americans; if Americans haven’t seen how efficient these cars truly are, there’s a justified sense of fear of allowing these cars on American streets. One of the leading causes of death within the United States are car accidents, and the idea of allowing some other source of intelligence, other than ourselves, to take responsibility of our safety is a bit overwhelming, but it’s just something people will have to adjust to over time.
The rise of autonomous vehicles in America seems to be stagnant at the moment, but with movements like the Self Drive Act passed by the House last year, it seems like their implementation is pressing and inevitable.
