An opinion poll of 1,000 UK adults by the British Standards Institution (BSI) found that almost three quarters (70 per cent) see benefits in connected and automated vehicles (CAVs).
But some 59 per cent said they would feel more confident as a passenger in an automated vehicle knowing an onboard safety operator could take control or intervene if necessary, with over 40 per cent saying the safety operator would make them feel more confident as a pedestrian.
Acceptance may be improving as more people become aware of the technology, which is still yet to be commercialised. A YouGov poll from last year found that more than two-thirds of drivers would be ‘uncomfortable’ with the prospect of driverless cars being allowed on British motorways in 2021.
While driverless vehicle technologies have garnered much interest from tech and automotive firms, real-life examples of the technology being used on the road from the likes of Google spin-off Waymo still include...