The University of Kent, Toulouse Business School, ESSCA School of Management, and ESADE Business School conducted research to detect how consumers feel towards the gradual emergence of autonomous vehicles.
Through qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys, they uncovered three key concerns and three key benefits, respectively.
Concerns:
- Performance and safety risks regarding the AI and sensor systems of the vehicles.
- Loss of driving competency due to the reliance on automated systems.
- Cybersecurity risks as a result of hacking.
Benefits:
- Freeing of time that would be otherwise spent on driving.
- Reducing the possibility of human error regarding accidents.
- Outperforming human capability in activities such as traffic prediction and speed handling.
According to Ben Lowe, Professor of Marketing at the University of Kent and co-author of the study, the aim of this research is to illustrate how the perceived concerns and benefits can help manufacturers and marketers to better appeal to consumers.
Lowe also adds that these key concerns play a major role in the consumers’ decision making, with performance being the biggest priority. But more than that, manufacturers and marketers need to take steps to address the unease regarding online security and the reduced autonomy of the driver. That’s the only way they can enhance the adoption of autonomous products.
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If you’d like to know more about the study, you can find the paper on Science Direct.
HT – EurekAlert!
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