Confused UK drivers believe they can buy a fully Autonomous car

8 November 2022

Thatcham Research has launched findings from its Trust in Automation consumer study, which has revealed that just over half of UK drivers think that they can buy a fully Autonomous car today.

This is despite the fact that only Assisted Driving systems, which require driver support, are currently available in the UK.

UK roads will potentially see vehicles with ‘self-driving capability’ by 2025, according to a recent Government announcement. However, the first iterations of the technology, known as ALKS (Automated Lane Keeping Systems) can only be activated on motorways with the driver needing to resume control as required.

The false impression regarding the current availability of self-driving technology was found to be more prevalent in younger age groups (77% of 17–24-year-olds) than it was amongst those aged 55+ (41%).

The figure rises to an astonishing 72% of the 2,000 drivers also surveyed in the United States