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Despite Appearances, People Trust Tesla the Most for Building Autonomous Vehicles

People have been bitching a lot about Tesla’s Full Self-Driving shortcomings in the past years. And yet, when asked about the carmakers they trust the most for building an autonomous vehicle, they would be comfortable riding in, most of them chose Tesla.
People trust Tesla the most for building autonomous vehicles 9 photos
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Autonomous driving has been in research for many years already and, based on initial perception, we should’ve been chauffeured around in autonomous vehicles a couple of years back. This didn’t happen, as you probably noticed, despite efforts by many companies in the automotive industry. Self-driving has proved to be a lot harder to crack than initially thought, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the future.

Just like any new technology, autonomous driving would die before becoming useful if consumers don't put their trust in it. Luckily, a lot of people, especially younger generations, indicated in an AutoPacific study that they would be comfortable riding in an autonomous vehicle. Almost one in five people aged 30 to 39 want an AV as soon as possible, followed by 14% of people aged 18 to 29. The most reluctant are people aged 60 and up, which is surprising, considering they would benefit the most.

Of course, regardless of age, most consumers surveyed in the study indicated that they prefer to wait a bit longer for autonomous vehicles to prove their safety record first. And the carmakers apparently listened, as there are no autonomous vehicles on the roads today, despite many claiming they are close to offering some.

Several carmakers offer automated driving systems that allow for hands-free driving, including Tesla, GM, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz. None of them offers fully-autonomous vehicles, though, but only capable to navigate marked highways in ideal, safe situations. No carmaker is willing to accept liability for accidents that happen during self-driving sessions, with the notable exception of Mercedes-Benz, although this is still pending.

When asked what the brands they trust the most to develop safe, reliable fully-autonomous vehicles are, most people (32%) indicated Tesla as their first choice. Toyota comes second, with 19% preference, followed by BMW, Chevrolet, and Ford with 18%, 16%, and 14%, respectively. Surprisingly, Apple comes sixth, with a 13% trust rate, showing the confidence people put in software companies when it comes to solving what is essentially a software problem.
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About the author: Cristian Agatie
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After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions.
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