A large majority of people would feel less safe either driving or riding in self-driving cars, according to a new survey.
Insurance company Policygenius conducted a survey that found most Americans (76%) would feel uneasy riding in a self-driving car. A similar number of people (73%) feel less safe knowing there are other people on the road who are traveling in cars with self-driving features.
“Whether because of road rage, reckless driving, or car accidents, it’s understandable that many people are wary of taking their eyes off the road and relying on a self-driving car,” Rachael Brennan, a licensed property and casualty insurance expert at Policygenius, said in a press release.
She went on to say that it’s imperative to figure out new insurance scenarios as more autonomous vehicles enter the road, such as who is at fault when a self-driving vehicle crashes.
Most respondents (62%) did say that people who own autonomous cars should pay more for insurance. Conversely, 38% of people felt that the safety features built into self-driving cars should earn owners a discount.
Still, respondents were divided evenly between driver and manufacturer on who should take the blame when a self-driving car gets into an accident.
Policygenius commissioned Google Surveys to poll a nationally representative sample of 1,500 adults aged 18 and older. The average margin of error for responses is 6.1%.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
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