Autonomous vehicles a concern for 70% of drivers
A new survey of more than 8,000 people has found that motorists in the UK and the most concerned in Europe about autonomous vehicles.
The Allianz survey questioned people in six major European countries, with more than 70% of respondents in the UK admitting they had concerns about self-driving vehicles joining public roads.
Meanwhile, 74% said they were specifically worried that automated vehicles may not be safe enough in unpredictable situations.
However, 54% agreed it would allow them to do other things during journeys, and 45% said it would help reduce stress in traffic. A further 62% said it autonomous vehicles could offer greater access to transportation for people with disabilities and the elderly.
Automated Vehicles Act
Alexandra Wyard, director of technical underwriting at Allianz UK, said: “The Automated Vehicles Act came into force in 2024, providing a new legal landscape and enables self-driving vehicles to operate legally on UK roads from 2026.
“The Act positions the UK as a global leader in AV regulation. But we need to look quickly at the role of insurers to make sure owners of these vehicles have the support they need to confidently take this next step in the evolution of driving.
“A lot of drivers remain concerned about what will happen if there is a crash when the car is in autonomous mode. Timely access to data from vehicles is going to be a necessity to help law enforcement and insurers know what happened and who is liable. How this information will be safely shared still remains an outstanding question.
“It’s an incredibly exciting time, but the speed required to find answers to these questions must match the pace of the changes we are facing.”
