Drivers want to take their hands off the wheel. That's what Cetelem found out in a survey on autonomous vehicles, unveiled on 4 January at CES, the world's leading electronics showcase, held between 9 to 12 January. This survey is part of theCetelem Automotive Observatory 2018revealing market trends. It has been with 10,600 car owners spread over 15 countries.
55 % of those surveyed say interested by the use of an autonomous car. Unsurprisingly, the under-30s were more enthusiastic than their older counterparts. Although the people questioned were still unsure about the use of these cars, a majority (72%) were convinced that they would will arrive within 10 years. The Germans appear to be more sceptical than the other countries surveyed, with a ratio of 49 %. When the pollsters asked how many years before they expect to use an autonomous car, the global average was 7 years.
Drivers more wary of Google and Apple
Despite this enthusiasm, the proportion of individuals prepared to pay more to obtain this technology represents a much smaller proportion, with 35 % of positive responses. Cetelem also asked the question of the car supplier. Several players have already entered this market, with model launch targets ranging from 2018 for Google 2022 for Renault and Nissan. Overall, only 48 % of car owners would buy autonomous vehicles from Google and Apple. Despite the fact that the market is fast approaching, the number of respondents interested in making such purchases has fallen: there were 55 % in 2016.
France with 33 % and Germany with 32 % are at the bottom of the list. This retreat from Apple and Google can be explained by a relationship of trust with national manufacturers. The United States, on the other hand, gave a more surprising response: only 39 % for the country developing this technology. Motorists are very interested in this technology, but remain cautious on the whole when it comes to buying or paying more. This can be explained by a form of caution that buyers have when it comes to investing large sums.
