Twenty Percent Of Drivers Want ‘Self Driving’ Vehicles
The technology needed to create self-driving cars is still being developed and if they eventually arrive 20% of American buyers tell J.D. Power & Associates that they are ready to purchase the futuristic rides.
That number comes to us from the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Automotive Emerging Technologies Study which measures a vehicle owners interest and intent to purchase emerging automotive technologies before and after they are revealed to the general market place.
According to the study 25% of male drivers said they would be willing to purchase an auto-drive vehicle at current market prices while 30% of those respondents were between the ages of 18 and 37. The study also found that 30% of respondents who wanted an autonomous vehicle live in urban areas.
While not every single driver required a fully automated car 41% of respondents did want automatic parallel parking features.
Nike VanNieuwkuyk, executive director of global automotive at J.D. Power and Associates says of the move towards automatic vehicles:
“Consumers are still learning about how autonomous driving technology could be used in their vehicles. Many owners are skeptical about releasing control of their vehicle and would like to see the technology proved out before they adopt it.”
The study also found that at current market pricing several safety features ranked among the top interest for drivers including:
- HD radio (at $100) 52%
- Enhanced collision mitigation system (at $750) 46%
- Wireless connectivity system (at $300) 45%
- Surround-view rear-vision camera (at $550) 44%
- Personal assistance safety services (at $15/month) 41%
The study also found that as prices for vehicles increase consumers shy away from those technologies in favor of more stripped down vehicles.
Check out the full JD Power And Associates survey HERE.
