Do we really want robot cars?

Do we really want robot cars?

Automobiles of the future, regardless of the type of drive, will increasingly be automated - first taking on individual tasks and driving situations and then being able to drive independently. "On the one hand, the volume of traffic and thus complexity is increasing, but on the other hand, safety must not suffer under any circumstances. Automated systems can relieve us," says Öamtc traffic psychologist Marion Seidenberger. The motorists' club's own tests show that well-functioning assistance systems can help reduce the number of accidents or at least significantly reduce the severity of accidents. But a sticking point for the widespread introduction, in addition to technical feasibility and legal questions, is the acceptance of the drivers.

The mobility club conducted a survey among 860 members in April 2022 to capture the mood. Those surveyed see a benefit in self-driving cars primarily for people with disabilities (26 percent), for commuters and those who drive a lot (21 percent), for older people (15 percent) and for those who endanger other road users by drinking and driving or speeding (15 percent). When asked how far automated driving can or should go, the answers are remarkable compared to 2016: 28 percent of those surveyed are of the opinion that the car should completely take over all driving tasks (2016: 17 percent). 57 percent of participants say that the car should provide the best possible support, but that the main responsibility should remain with the driver (2016: 63 percent). Only 13 percent of those surveyed believe that the car should only offer basic safety mechanisms (2016: 19 percent).

63 percent of those surveyed see the main advantage of automated driving as helping to avoid traffic accidents. It would also be a benefit not to have to drive yourself on long, monotonous routes (46 percent). 40 percent see it as an advantage to enable people to drive who cannot do so themselves. 38 percent of those surveyed are looking forward to no longer having to park themselves. 37 percent of participants see the advantage of no longer having to constantly pay attention to speed limits. For at least 14 percent, an advantage of self-driving cars would be the ability to sleep on the go. "A certain disillusionment can be observed when it comes to the question 'No longer having to deal with stressful situations alone': In a comparable survey by the club in 2016, 40 percent cited this as an advantage of automated driving, but this year it was only 29 percent. This could be an indication that the technology is now a little less trusted," says the mobility club's traffic psychologist.

One question to the ÖAMTC members was what main concerns they would have about purchasing a self-driving car from today's perspective. The No. 1 reservation among those surveyed is the fear of incorrect decisions by automated vehicles - this fell significantly from 76 percent (2016) to 67 percent (2022). Concern about electronic errors or damage fell from 72 percent (2016) to 65 percent (2022). A remarkable 56 percent of those surveyed fear hacker attacks or the vehicle being taken over by someone else. An important point in this context is data security. "The systems are becoming more intelligent and networked. In terms of road safety, this is to be welcomed - but the car must under no circumstances become a data octopus. It is clear to the Öamtc that only the vehicle owner can decide on the use of data generated and possibly stored in the vehicle," explains Seidenberger. In addition to questions about data sovereignty, protection against hackers and data theft is also a topic that is a focus for the mobility club.