Toronto, Ontario — May 27, 2019 — The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) has launched a tool to help drivers understand upcoming autonomous vehicle technology following research that reveals drivers are worried about the future of autonomous vehicles.
Autonomous vehicles are vehicles that are able to operate but sensing their environment, with very little human input. CAA describes some current autonomous technologies in a modern vehicle as Bluetooth connectivity, lane assist and other similar tools.
According to research, the surveyed drivers main concerns with autonomous technology in vehicles is the potential risk of hacking, as well as issues surrounding accountability in the case of an accident and access to driver data by third parties.
The research also revealed that 83 percent of drivers only have a vague knowledge of autonomous vehicles.
Jeff Walker, the chief strategy officer at CAA National, believes this may be why there is so much anxiety surrounding the new technology.
“[The newest technologies] are the building blocks that will lead to fully autonomous vehicles one day, yet the vast majority of Canadians are not familiar with the technology — and that leads naturally to them having concerns, ” said Walker.
Walker believes the lack of consumer friendly material is a large influence in the poll results, leading to the creation of Connected and Autonomous.
Connected and autonomous is an online portal that explains the level of autonomy in vehicles, as well as potential risks that come with the technology.
CAA states that the overall goal of autonomous vehicles is to increase mobility and increase safety.
“The transition to autonomous vehicles will likely happen gradually,” said Walker. “In the long run, AVs will save lives since collisions will be much fewer and far between, and they will allow seniors or others with limited mobility the opportunity to regain independence.”
CAA is one of the largest consumer-based organizations in Canada. It has more than six million members and 100 offices in Canada.
For more information on autonomous vehicles or to access the online tool, visit caa.ca/autonomous.
