Over three-quarters of Northern Ireland motorists have admitted they would not feel safe travelling in a driverless vehicle, according to new research.<\/p>\n
The car insurance experts at CompareNI.com<\/a>\u00a0surveyed 800 drivers across NI to find out their attitudes toward autonomous vehicles (AVs), revealing that the overwhelming majority are sceptical of the new technology and reluctant to embrace it.<\/p>\n Earlier this year, the UK government delayed the rollout of driverless vehicles until late 2027* as it strives to build public trust.<\/p>\n While limited\u00a0self-driving technology is permitted on UK roads, a human driver must be at the wheel to supervise and intervene if needed.<\/p>\n But several companies are already testing more advanced tech<\/a> across the UK. In Belfast, NI\u2019s first self-driving vehicle \u2013 the Harlander shuttle bus \u2013 is giving passengers at Titanic Quarter a taste of the future.**<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Uber has teamed up with tech firm Wayve to launch trials of driverless taxis in London<\/a> next Spring.***<\/p>\n Commercial robotaxis are already operating in several cities across the United States, where there has been a rapid rise in ridership, with over 250,000 paid trips each week,**** highlighting that people are becoming more willing to entrust their safety to AI-driven vehicles<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, a new study by car insurance<\/a> experts at CompareNI.com has found that there is still a long road to travel before the public in Northern Ireland has full confidence in driverless vehicles.<\/p>\n The survey showed that 80 per cent of people would not feel safe travelling in an AV. Two-thirds (66%) of respondents held a negative opinion of autonomous technology, compared to just 18% viewing it in a positive light.<\/p>\n When asked what their biggest concern<\/a> regarding AVs were, nearly a third (32%) were worried about not having any control of the vehicle, while 29% said they don\u2019t trust the technology. Almost a quarter (23%) had fears over the behaviour of other road users, while 15% cited the condition of NI\u2019s roads as their main concern.<\/p>\n Ian Wilson<\/a>, Managing Director and car insurance expert at CompareNI.com said: \u201cWhile it might seem like science-fiction, autonomous vehicle technology has come a long way over the last decade and is steadily becoming a reality. With robotaxis slowly expanding across the USA and trials due to begin in the UK next year<\/a>, this technology looks set to become part of our daily lives in the not-too-distant future. However, there is a lot of work still to be done to shift public attitudes towards driverless vehicles.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile fully autonomous vehicles promise to bring several benefits over human-driven vehicles, including improved road safety<\/a>, lower emissions and reduced traffic congestion, our survey showed that many people still have understandable reservations about this technology. Tellingly, a whopping 94% of people believe the planned 2027 rollout of driverless cars in the UK is too soon.<\/p>\n \u201cA big question a lot of people have is how this will impact insurance<\/a> and who would be liable in the case of a collision? Would it be the driver, the manufacturer, or the software provider<\/a>? In our survey, over a third (36%) of respondents felt the technology provider should be legally responsible for claims involving driverless cars, while a quarter felt the onus should be on the manufacturer.<\/p>\n