Autonomous vehicles – consumers are concerned how they will disrupt the market

The UK continues to make substantial investments in autonomous vehicles (AVs), but with the country slipping from fifth to seventh on KPMG’s 2019 Autonomous Vehicles Readiness Index , there is a lot that needs to be done if we are to avoid deploying this smart, safe, efficient technology later than other countries.

Autonomous vehicles will bring on a lot of positive changes, which is why there is so much investment in the area and a huge amount of interest. You could compare it to the creation of the internet and how much positivity it has brought to our everyday lives.

There are major advantages to be seized. Consider how disabled people, for example, will be affected; autonomous vehicles will revolutionise the way they travel. Similarly, children would be safer on their way to school. The possibilities are endless. However, though the promise of AV’s has multiple benefits, consumers are still concerned about how they will disrupt the market.

Safety first

One of the major barriers to widespread adoption of AVs is safety. Although rigorous testing is still being done, and inroads are being made in the UK, consumers are still wary – but simulation can help.

Simulation can help ensure the safety of driverless cars and reduce the need for billions of miles of road testing. It helps save manufacturers time and money and reduces risk. Google, for instance, runs simulations and can do 2.5 billion miles every year through it – that’s 1000 times faster than road testing. Likewise, if the software in an autonomous car is upgraded (like the iOS in your phone would be) – all this testing needs to be redone, and it isn’t feasible to rely on physical road miles.

If we are to deploy safe autonomous vehicles on UK […]

Continue reading – Autonomous vehicles — why consumer acceptance is critical to change