AAA's recent investigation into American perceptions of autonomous vehicles reveals a continuing wave of skepticism, highlighting last year's surge in negative sentiment not as a blip but a significant challenge for the troubled sector. The 2024 survey, predominantly conducted online with phone interviews available for those without internet, mirrored the results of the previous year. A substantial 66% of participants expressed outright fear of self-driving technology, with 25% undecided. Only a slim 9% conveyed trust in the technology. Interestingly, while the number of respondents fearful of autonomous cars marginally decreased, they moved into the "unsure" category rather than embracing the technology.

The shift in public opinion became notably apparent in 2022 following an incident where a Tesla driver, blaming the vehicle's "Full Self-Driving" feature, caused a multi-vehicle accident during San Francisco's 2022 Thanksgiving rush. Events of such magnitude likely play a pivotal role in shaping consumer perceptions of autonomous driving technologies. However, AAA advises automakers not to discard their development of safety technologies in reaction to these attitudes. The survey indicates a clear preference among drivers for advanced safety features derived from autonomous vehicle research, provided they do not entail full driving automation.

Most respondents favored the inclusion of reverse automatic emergency braking (65%), automatic emergency braking (63%), and lane-keeping assistance (62%) in their next vehicle, despite concerns over the efficacy of such technologies.

There's a significant need for clarity in how these technologies are presented to the public, AAA emphasizes. Alarmingly, 40% of those surveyed were either unsure or mistakenly believed that fully autonomous vehicles, capable of driving while the owner sleeps, are available for purchase.

To mitigate consumer apprehensions, AAA suggests that the performance of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) should align with realistic and safe use cases, accurately reflecting their limitations. The organization champions the advancement of vehicle safety technology to augment driver alertness, opposing the notion that these systems could substitute for an attentive driver. AAA calls for collaboration with automakers to standardize system naming and performance industry-wide. Through joint efforts, they aim to facilitate consumer understanding of their vehicles' technological features, ensuring drivers know how to utilize these systems correctly and when and where they are suitable for use.