drive

More than one motorist in two tempted to buy self-driving car

December 18, 2015

In regards to self-driving cars, three-quarters of the motorists questioned think it will become a reality one day. As much as 48% of them think they will be able to enjoy some free time in an entirely autonomous car, 40% would take the opportunity to talk to other passengers, 37% would sleep during the trip and 25% would work. – Reuters pic, December 18, 2015. Whether it is for comfort, saving time or safety, the idea of one day having a totally autonomous car attracts motorists across the globe, according to the 2016 Observatoire Cetelem automotive survey.

The proportion of motorists who, even occasionally, use a driving assistance system such as a GPS-type device, an app or a website to guide them, is now very much the majority. In China, this applies to 97% of motorists compared with 86% in France. To give a more detailed picture, regardless of their location, an average of 69% of motorists use a smartphone, 40% a mobile GPS device and 32% a computer for journey preparation or guidance.

Overall, connected cars are viewed positively by motorists who regard them as advantageous in terms of driving comfort (83%), saving time (81%) and safety (77%). It is therefore not surprising that the same motorists cite safety (77%) and an opportunity to save money (73%) as their main expectations for this type of car.

In regards to self-driving cars, three-quarters of the motorists questioned think it will become a reality one day (67% in France). As much as 48% of them think they will be able to enjoy some free time in an entirely autonomous car, 40% would take the opportunity to talk to the passengers, 37% would sleep during the trip and 25% would work.

And a majority of them (55%) are already prepared to buy a Google Car or an Apple Car if these vehicles were to go on sale.

Lastly, the Observatoire indicated that the market for new passenger vehicles grew by an average of 2.2% worldwide in 2015 (+6.4% in France). The Observatoire expects another year of growth in 2016 with an estimated 3.6% rise in sales worldwide (+3.1% in France).

The Observatoire Cetelem automotive survey for 2016 is the result of surveys conducted by TNS-Sofres in July 2015 via the Internet in South Africa, Germany, Belgium, Brazil, China, Spain, the US, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, the UK, and Turkey. In total, 8,500 people were questioned (representative samples of at least 500 per country). The analyses and forecasts were carried out in partnership with the market research and consultancy firm BIPE. – AFP, December 18, 2015.