SCHOOL’S OUT FOR DRIVERLESS CARS

Driverless cars – we don’t know when, but they’re coming to UK roads…but just how do the British public feel about them?

A new survey has revealed Brits want driverless cars for long-distance driving, trips to the pub and commuting to work, but they don’t trust them with their kids. Only 15% said they’d use a driverless car for the school run.

The survey, run by car dealership Citygate asked 10,000 UK drivers in which circumstances they would use a driverless car.

Long-distance travel took the top spot, with 34% of Brits saying they’d welcome a break from driving during lengthy journeys – suggesting there’s some support for welcoming self-driving cars onto the UK’s roads.

29% of survey participants admitted they’d be most interested in using a driverless car while under the influence, and only 6% wouldn’t use one at all.

A quarter of all respondents, and 40% of people living in the South West of England, said they’d be most likely to rely on a driverless car after dark.

Just 15% of Brits said they’d be happy to delegate the school run to a driverless car – suggesting that our trust in these autonomous vehicles may expire when it comes to children’s safety.

Ian McIntosh, RED Driving School CEO says: “We welcome all advances in technology, and we know that in the case of driverless cars, it’s not ‘if’, but ‘when’ they arrive on our roads. We need to get to a stage where people are comfortable with using a driverless car in any situation – not just when they want to chat to friends or have had a few too many – bur that will come in time. In the meantime, we want to ensure that all RED instructors pass on the best driving habits and etiquette possible to all pupils – before the machines take over!”