Driver's views on driverless vehicles: Public perspectives on defining and using autonomous cars

Objectives: To investigate how members of the public define autonomous vehicles, including perceived advantages, disadvantages and reliability. Methods: A series of qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 members of the public in Switzerland who were recruited online and through snowballing. Interviews were transcribed and coded, before being subjected to thematic analysis. Results: Three main themes emerged from the interviews. These included differing perceptions of the level of self-automation of smart cars, across a spectrum from partial automation to fully autonomous vehicles; a variety of views on the perceived pros and cons of smart cars, including fewer accidents and potential loss of freedom; and opinions concerning whether a car would be ‘better than human’, and related issues including whether such cars should or could be subject to human override. Almost all participants saw the introduction of truly smart cars as beneficial, although many said they would not be early adopters and would always want humans to have the ability to take control. Significance: Our results reveal generally positive attitudes to smart cars, but also some poor understanding of the different levels of automation that such cars can have, and potentially unrealistic expectations regarding the capacity of humans to re-assume control in emergencies. These factors must be considered by legislators and others involved in the introduction of smart cars onto our roads.