Hacking and Loss of Driving Skills Are Concerns For Self-Driving Cars

 

As the years go on, technology and technological advances become more intertwined into our daily lives and movements. One fascinating futuristic concept we see in the movies is now becoming more of a reality in the year 2021. Autonomous vehicles. These types of vehicles are being developed rapidly worldwide which prompted the researchers at the University of Kent to investigate the question of "WHY?" Why might the market for these vehicles continue to grow and why aren't consumers deterred from purchasing? Based on the researchers' findings, both qualitative and quantitative, they drew the conclusion on consumer decision making about autonomous vehicles.

        The cons to these vehicles included performance risks to the AI and sensor systems, loss of competencies by driving public, and security breach of privacy. With these cons, it has and will continually be a challenge especially road and passenger safety. Automotive companies must continue to be innovative in their marketing of the products. Marketers have been doing their job by advertising improvements to the product's technology with the hope that it will reduce safety concerns. However, the hurdle of overcoming the loss of driving ability and privacy breach has proved to be an uphill battle.

        In a positive light, the researchers saw from their observations not only cons but benefits autonomous vehicles present. These benefits were more time available (giving more time to the consumer which normally would have been used for operating the vehicle to their destination), the removal of human error (fewer accidents caused by human drivers), and outperforming the human factor meaning the AI would improve routes, traffic predictions, and handling speed.

        According to Ben Lowe, Professor of Marketing at Univerisity of Kent and co-author of the study said, "The results of this study illustrate the perceived benefits of autonomous vehicles for consumers and how marketers can appeal to consumers in the growing market. However, we will now see how the manufacturers respond to the concerns of these key perceived risks as they are most factors in the decision-making of consumers, with the safety of the vehicles' performance the greatest priority. Our method used in this study will help clarify for manufacturers and marketers that, second to the issue of online account security, they will now have to address concerns that their product is reducing the autonomy of the consumer." 

 

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210526093059.htm