but not quite old or widespread enough to have fully earned the public’s trust. And while some tech-savvy types have already embraced AVs into their daily lives, for others, the idea of a vehicle without a human driver provokes questions and often angst.
But the fact is, autonomous vehicles are already on the roads, such as those from Waymo, a company serving tens of thousands of riders each week with its fully autonomous ride-hailing service in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. And with many major car manufacturers working to embrace automation, the trend seems likely to grow from here.
So, to find out what people really think about autonomous vehicles,
The Verge worked with Vox Media’s Insights and Research team and partnered with The Circus, an insights and data storytelling consultancy, to survey over 2,000 adults ages 18 and up across the United States to gauge their opinions, emotions, and apprehensions about AVs. The story that emerged shows that there’s still a significant knowledge gap when it comes to this new technology. But, when presented with facts about AVs, many were willing to change their perceptions. We discovered there’s also real excitement for the opportunities automated vehicles could present, now and in the future — from solving problems of accessibility, to unlocking new possibilities for convenience, travel, and leisure.
t’s no secret that when it comes to autonomous vehicles (AVs), public perception is mixed. It is a technology that’s not quite new,
I
Better understanding the safety of AVs starts with getting to know
the technology. Fully autonomous vehicles like Waymo’s are different from driver assist technology, which requires a human driver behind
the wheel who is ready to take over if the car encounters a situation it doesn’t know how to handle. The Waymo Driver, Waymo’s autonomous driving technology, is always in control of the car, from pickup to destination. It does this through a combination of lidar, which paints
a 3D picture of the vehicle’s surroundings; cameras that give an overlapping field of views around the vehicle; radar that can instantly perceive objects and measure their velocity; and an on-board computer that uses these sensor inputs to understand the world around the vehicle and plans a safe route to the destination. These systems work
at all times of day and even in inclement weather conditions like rain, fog, and snow.
While our survey showed many Americans feel some anxiety around
AV safety, it also highlighted that there’s a significant knowledge gap when it comes to the actual safety facts. For example, only 18 percent
of survey respondents were aware that Waymo’s autonomous ride-hailing service serves tens of thousands of riders on a weekly basis. Only 16 percent knew that with 100 percent fewer bodily injury claims and 76 percent fewer property damage claims, one of the world’s leading reinsurers concluded Waymo is significantly safer than human-driven vehicles. Just 15 percent of those surveyed knew that the autonomous driving system that powers Waymo vehicles has logged over 40 million miles of real-world driving experience — the equivalent of driving to the moon and back 80 times — making it more experienced than any human driver.
Our study also showed that people are willing to change their perception of AVs in response to new information. After learning these facts about Waymo’s safety record and experience, 66 percent of those surveyed said it eased their safety concerns about riding in an autonomous vehicle operated by Waymo, and 62 percent of those who were moderately or less interested before said it increased their interest in using an autonomous ride-hailing service.
Autonomous vehicle safety 101
When it comes to public sentiment at the national level in the U.S., there is interest in using autonomous ride-hailing, but knowledge about AVs is low. While 69 percent of survey respondents said they’re interested in AVs, 44 percent admitted they don’t know much at all about the technology. This contributes to a split verdict on the safety of AVs nationally. Overall, 45 percent of respondents said they believe AVs are safe, compared to just 37 percent who believe it would be dangerous to have fully autonomous vehicles operating today.
Interestingly, the perception of AV safety was higher in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, where autonomous vehicle ride-hailing services like Waymo are already operating. (Fifty-four percent of respondents there deemed them safe to operate today versus 32 percent who said it was dangerous.) Overall, 95 percent of those surveyed report having at least one concern about AVs, mostly to do with their own safety as passengers or concern for pedestrian safety.
A large majority of survey respondents (86 percent) said they believe that self-driving technology companies should prove that autonomous vehicles are as safe, or safer, than vehicles driven by people before AVs are allowed to operate on the roads.
Knowledge lags interest in AVs
So, if consumers’ biggest concern about AVs is less of a concern than they thought, where do we go from here? It turns out that AVs could present an appealing alternative to some of the pain points with the
way we travel now.
For example, our survey showed that 49 percent of Americans have
had at least one negative experience using traditional ride-sharing services. Commonly reported experiences included feeling uneasy
when a driver took a longer route than expected or got lost, feeling unsafe due to drivers’ speeding or distraction, or feeling offended during a ride. Passengers who identify as LGBTQIA+ or nonbinary and those who say they have a disability reported a higher incidence of negative experiences (61 and 60 percent respectively) than the general population with traditional rideshares.
After being exposed to education about Waymo in our survey, 59 percent of respondents said they would choose to ride in an AV over a human-driven vehicle, compared to just 22 percent who said they would choose an AV before learning about Waymo. That percentage was even higher among those who identify as LGBTQIA+ or non-binary (65 percent) or have a disability (62 percent). For some passengers, autonomous ride-hailing services could offer a more consistent, predictable experience.
AVs could also present opportunities for greater accessibility by helping to cover “last mile” challenges of public transportation. Nearly eight in 10 people in our survey (79 percent) said they face at least one significant transportation challenge — like the need to take short trips of under two miles that are not well suited for traditional ride-sharing services, or a lack of public transportation near their home or destination. Between 20 to 32 percent of survey respondents said they would find AVs to be a worthwhile solution to these problems.
Going where public transport can’t
In addition to helping solve practical concerns, could traveling
by autonomous vehicle also be just. . . fun? We asked people to imagine what they’d want the future of AV travel to look like, and here’s what sparked their interest most:
Seventy percent of respondents said they’d be interested in using AVs as a “digital chauffeur” to hail rides that are a part of their daily schedule: think an AV that whisks you home from work, handles your kid’s daily school pick-up, or transports your friend to the airport so you don’t have to.
Sixty-three percent said they’d like to use AVs to discover the world around them — for example, in the future, people might hop aboard an automated “tourist pod” vehicle that’s custom-designed for sightseeing with unobstructed windows and on-board information systems providing details about landmarks and points of interest.
Sixty-two percent of respondents said they’d want to use AVs
as a relaxing escape. Imagine choosing an AV with entertainment
or gaming systems onboard, or one that’s specially outfitted
with soundproofing, ultra-comfy seating, or even massage chairs for comfortable sleep, meditation, or rest on longer trips (first class, who?).
While some Americans are still wary of AVs, there’s evidence that our perceptions are evolving as we learn more about not only the safety of autonomous vehicles, but the new possibilities they can unlock. For people dissatisfied with current traditional transportation options, or those facing transportation challenges, autonomous vehicles like Waymo may present an alluring proposition: one that is consistently convenient, accessible, safe, and fair. Ironically, autonomous vehicles could be well-poised to meet these very human needs — if we humans are willing to climb on board, that is.
Transforming how we travel
Editor: Leeann Duggan | Associate Art Director: Clara Shader-Seave
How Do We Really Feel About
Autonomous Vehicles?
We polled 2,000 American adults to uncover their opinions about AVs — and found that knowledge was key to overturning misconceptions
Knew there were automated vehicles that had been approved to drive on the road
Don’t know
much or anything about AVs
Percent of respondents who are interested in using AV ride-hailing service
69%
What do Americans know about AVs?
There’s a knowledge gap when it comes to interest in autonomous vehicles.
44%
35%
AVs should not be allowed on public roads
The government is moving too slow in approving self-driving vehicles
AVs aren't ready to be deployed on the road without a driver present
AV companies must prove their vehicles are as safe or safer than those driven by a human driver
What did people think about AV safety before being surveyed?
How interested would you be in using an autonomous vehicle for the following?
86%
73%
9%
34%
62%
A sleep pod specially outfitted for comfort and rest on long
trips
62%
A recreational lounge featuring movies
and gaming
63%
Automated sightseeing tours for vacations or visiting
a new city
70%
A “digital chauffeur” with scheduled rides to or from work, school, or airport
Our study showed that people are willing to change their perception
of AVs in response to new information.
willing to change their perception of AVs
AVs should not be allowed on public roads
The government is moving too slow in approving self-driving vehicles
AVs aren't ready to be deployed on the road without a driver present
AV companies must prove their vehicles are as safe or safer than those driven by a human driver
people are willing to change their perception
of Avs
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All adults
22%
How did education about Waymo change people’s willingness to ride in an AV?
LGBTQIA+ or non-binary adults
25%
Adults with
a disability
25%
All adults
59%
LGBGQIA or
non-binary adults
65%
Adults with
a disability
62%
Before Learning About Waymo
AFTER Learning About Waymo
How did education about Waymo change people’s willingness to ride in an AV?
59%
65%
62%
Editor: Leeann Duggan | Associate Art Director: Clara Shader-Seave
The Vox Media Insights and Research team surveyed a nationally representative sample of over 1,800 U.S. adults who have used a ride hailing app in the past 6 months, plus 500 people in markets where Waymo operates, in partnership with The Circus: an insight and data storytelling consultancy in April 2024.
Methodology:
Editor: Leeann Duggan | Associate Art Director: Clara Shader-Seave
Credits:
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CONTACT
TIP US
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ABOUT
ETHICS STATEMENT
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CONTACT
TIP US
COMMUNITY GUIDELINES
ABOUT
ETHICS STATEMENT
THE VERGE IS A VOX MEDIA NETWORK
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We polled 2,000 American adults to uncover their opinions about AVs — and found that knowledge was key to overturning misconceptions