Self-driving car technology has been a hot topic in the automotive world. Automakers and tech companies are racing to perfect the futuristic technology with the goal of safer roads, less traffic, and the ability to sleep while “driving” getting closer to reality. However, one question that needs to be asked is; do drivers actually want their cars to drive themselves?
According to a new study by Edmunds, the short answer is “yes.” Bloomberg shows a breakdown of how badly each age group wants a self-driving car. Not surprisingly, the younger the demographic, the more those drivers are willing to embrace the new technology.
Millennials ages 33 and under are the most receptive age group to robocars. Almost 40 percent would be willing to buy an autonomous car in less than five years and well over 60 percent of Generation Y would consider getting one in 10 years or less. Less than 20 percent of Millennials would never consider a self-driving car at all.
That’s in pretty sharp contrast with the oldest age groups studied. The data for the 55-64 and 65+ age groups were pretty similar to about half of them never willing to trust a robot to take the wheel. Only about 15 percent of the elderly wants a self-driving car in less than five years.
The other age groups are in between with everyone from ages 34-54 being fairly receptive to autonomous cars. Perhaps their mindset is to wait and see if the technology really works and then get on board after it’s proven to be safe and effective.
Are you ready for self-driving cars? Does your opinion line up with that of your age group?