As with many new technologies, the levels of literacy among the general public tends to vary.  It’s perhaps no surprise therefore that a recent survey from AXA reveals a similar level of confusion around driverless technology.

This extends not only to the capabilities of the technology, but also to the way its classified.  For instance, the research reveals that just 27% of UK residents believe that driverless cars will reduce the number of accidents on the roads, despite around 90% of accidents today caused by human errors.  Similarly low numbers thought that the technology would improve the environment.

It’s perhaps no surprise therefore that recent data from Euro NCAP suggests that over 70% of us already think that fully autonomous vehicles are on the market, despite in reality this being many years away.

Defining the tech

Of course, the actual definition of a fully autonomous vehicle is not altogether straightforward, with the Society of Automotive Engineers providing 5 levels of autonomy, but when AXA quizzed people about these levels, confusion reigned supreme.

For instance, only 1 in 3 were able to correctly identify Level 5 vehicles, which are fully autonomous in all environments.  Things got worse however, with just 10% successfully identifying Level 1 vehicles as those who can utilize a single form of automation, such as steering or braking control.  This is worrying as most new vehicles today are already at Level 2 and there are a number of Level 3 models being introduced.

This lack of knowledge extended into the kind of autonomous technologies currently used in vehicles today, with up to 75% of people unlikely to use technologies such as cruise control once they were made aware of its existence.

“Driverless cars will revolutionise transport for the better, making our roads safer but also creating mobility solutions for people who are unable to drive. It is not surprising however, that new technology can be confusing and even lead to scepticism. What is clear, is that we need to educate motorists on the benefits of autonomous vehicles because consumer trust will be vital to their success,” AXA say.

To try and improve matters, AXA have released a video explaining the kind of driverless technologies available today.  If you need to brush up your own knowledge, it’s worth a look.