As Moove and Waymo announce plans to expand their autonomous ride-hailing partnership from the U.S. to London, research[i] from Venson Automotive Solutions highlights that UK motorists remain cautious about the introduction of self-driving vehicles on British roads.
According to the Venson survey, one in three motorists say the arrival of self-driving taxis in the UK gives them cause for concern over road safety, citing worries such as increased vehicle congestion and competition to meet ride-hailing deadlines.
While autonomous driving technology continues to advance, attitudes towards it appear to vary significantly by age. A survey of teenage future fleet drivers conducted by Venson found that 44% of young respondents would feel safe in a self-driving car – more than double the number of adults who said the same. Similarly, 56% of teenagers believe that automated driving represents a positive step forward for road safety, compared to just 24% of adults.
Sustainability remains a unifying theme across all age groups, with 100% of respondents agreeing that the future of transport should prioritise protecting the planet. This reinforces the growing importance of environmentally conscious fleet and mobility solutions in shaping the transport landscape.
When asked about the wider use of artificial intelligence in driving technology, 44% of students said “we will adapt,” while 22% described it as “an exciting prospect.” Only a small proportion – also 22% – said it was “a cause for concern,” suggesting younger generations are more open to the integration of AI in transport.
Ladi Delano, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Moove said of its collaboration with Waymo, “This partnership represents a major step forward for urban mobility, bringing world-class innovation to one of the world’s greatest cities.” Despite safety concerns, this opinion is supported by the Venson survey respondents, with many drivers seeing clear productivity benefits to autonomous mobility. One in three company car and grey fleet drivers believe self-driving vehicles will allow people to make better use of their travel time, enabling them to work and attend virtual meetings on the go.
Simon Staton, Client Management Director at Venson Automotive Solutions, commented: “Innovative technologies coming to UK roads could be transformational for the fleet and automotive sector and provide exciting future employment opportunities in our industry. However, clearly the fears of the ride-hailing public need to be proven unfounded.”
As companies like Moove and Waymo collect millions of miles of driving data to improve safety through machine learning, the findings from Venson’s latest survey highlight the importance of building public trust and demonstrating safety credentials to ensure successful adoption of autonomous technologies in the UK.
[i] A joint venture between vehicle fleet management provider Venson Automotive Solutions and Tiffin School Sixth Form, in Kingston upon Thames, set out to explore 16–17-year-olds’ attitudes towards “The Future for Cars”. The students, classed as late Generation Z, were then asked to complete a follow-up survey, with Venson conducting a comparative analysis with a recent survey of 300 UK adults to identify age-related trends.