A study by fleet solutions firm Venson Automotive Solutions, and Tiffin School Sixth Form, has found that 44% of 16 and 17 year-olds say they would feel safe in a self-driving car.
56% of the students said that self-driving technology is a step forward for road safety, while only 24% of adults had the same view, in a survey Venson conducted among UK adults.
Simon Staton, client services director at Venson Automotive Solutions, said: “We’re on the cusp of some truly innovative technologies coming to UK roads which could be transformational for the fleet and automotive sector and affect future employment and operations in our industry.
“That’s why collaborating with Tiffin School to get the views of our future fleet drivers was so vital.”
80% of the students surveyed said that self-driving cars could enable drivers to make better use of their time, with 67% saying that it will become normal to multitask while in an automated vehicle.
Despite enthusiasm for self-driving cars, 90% of the students said they hoped to pass their driving test and own a car within 10 years, while around 60% said that having access to a car is as good as owning one, showing openness to car-sharing models.
When asked about advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), a vital component in enabling self-driving technology, 44% of the students said that we will adapt to it, 22% expressed excitement for the future of AI, while 22% expressed concern.
Staton said: “The students were so vocal on all the key issues and it was illuminating to see the positivity towards everything from AI to Automated Vehicles.
“Despite their acceptance of future technology, however, fleet professionals will be interested to see that the majority of sixth formers still can’t wait to get behind the wheel themselves!”
100% of the students said they were more positive about the automotive industry following the survey, while 45% said they were interested in pursuing a career in vehicle design, and 22% said they’d like to work in the AI field.
