The vast majority of the UK public would feel unsafe riding in a taxi with no human driver, according to new research from Motorfinity, as robotaxi trials continue to gather pace across the country.
Motorfinity ran a snapshot survey of its customer base of frontline-worker motorists to gauge sentiment around driverless technology, finding that 77% said riding in a taxi with no human driver would make them feel unsafe. Almost half of respondents (43%) rated their sense of safety at 0 or 1 out of 5, where zero represents “unsafe” and 5 represents “completely safe,” while only 12% rated their comfort at 4 or above. Nearly half (47%) said they would be significantly put off using taxi services altogether if they became driverless.
Among the concerns respondents raised were worries about how well driverless cars could navigate adverse conditions such as road closures and unexpected obstacles — one respondent specifically flagged the need for the technology to “safely identify temporary road closures such as police scenes to prevent injury.” Others questioned basic safety and liability issues, including how passengers would get out of a vehicle in an emergency, and how manufacturers could guarantee the technology is “100% safe.” A number of respondents also raised concerns about the impact driverless taxis could have on jobs for black cab and Uber drivers.
Motorfinity CEO Dan Briggs said the findings reflect a genuine adjustment period for the public: “A UK launch was inevitable after they had been successfully operating in San Francisco, Phoenix and China for some time… Although it will be a big change and a huge adjustment for the public to get accustomed to, the introduction of driverless taxis is a very exciting prospect that marks a significant milestone in vehicle technology in this country.” He added that “Europe’s road systems tend to be a lot more complex, which is why safety needs to be an absolute priority,” and said the survey shows the public wants a clearer understanding of how the technology will handle the UK’s roads, closures and potential accidents before trusting it fully.
The findings land just as Transport for London has granted its first private hire licences to Uber and Wayve for a supervised robotaxi trial in the capital, and follow similar scepticism recorded in other recent surveys — a YouGov poll for the London Assembly Transport Committee found 42% of Londoners oppose autonomous taxis, with only three in ten saying they’d consider using one if it became available.
DM Taxi Assistant is the most affordable taxi dispatch system on the market, covering your booking form, customer portal and driver dispatch — built by people who understand the trade.
Thanks for visiting DM News! If you’ve got a question, a story tip, or anything you’d like to share, head over to DriverMatty.com — I love to hear from you. While you’re there, don’t forget to check out my other websites and social media channels.
Sources:
