A third of Drivers are still wary of autonomous vehicles

A new survey recently revealed that a third of drivers remain wary of autonomous vehicles. While none are currently on the road in the UK, two US ‘robotaxi’ firms have announced plans to expand their operations to London. Moove and Waymo are looking to launch their autonomous ride-hailing vehicles in the UK within the next 12 months.

“According to the Venson survey, one in three motorists say the arrival of self-driving taxis in the UK gives them cause for concern over road safety, citing worries such as increased vehicle congestion and competition to meet ride-hailing deadlines.”

Despite the massive advances in autonomous technology over the years there are of course many doubters and critics who claim that ‘It’s not ready yet’ and it will cause numerous accidents, possibly injuries or worse. However, the autonomous cars development has been rapidly increasing and has reached a stage where testing can no longer be restricted to a laboratory, without real world road tests in live conditions we would never know the capabilities and limitations of this new state of the art technologies.

One issue recently raised in a recent column by Auto Express Digital Editor, Steve Walker is not related to the vehicles themselves, but rather the British sense of humour. He has posited that “in America such triumphs of technology and capitalism, particularly by domestic companies, tend to be praised and respected by the public.” And that “Would the British psyche – with its special sense of humour and passion for knocking the successful ‘down a peg or two’ – mean that people here are more likely to ‘mess about’ with an autonomous car as it tries to go about its business than their American cousins?”

While any act of ‘good old-fashioned tomfoolery’ may be met in good humour by other members of the public, any visible scratches, dents, or scuffs to autonomous vehicles will advertise their involvement in a collision and thereby promote the wariness that a third of British motorists already have. Any autonomous vehicle on the roads needs to remain in pristine condition to continue to gain the confidence of the general public. Any accident involving an autonomous vehicle (whether they are at fault or not) immediately puts a black mark on their reputation.

For the continued development of autonomous vehicles, it is essential that any damage be it small or large is repaired quickly, efficiently and professionally. Revive! offer cost effective SMART repair solutions when cars get damaged. We have the flexibility of local technicians backed by the professionalism and outstanding customer service of a large national organisation. Our technicians fix minor repairs quickly at the location of your choice, saving the fleet time and the inconvenience of arranging a courtesy car. This will cause minimum disruption to your business and save you the expense of a traditional body shop repair.

If you are interested in any of our SMART Repair services, please get in touch with our team now!

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