Picture this: you’re sipping coffee, scrolling through social media, or perhaps catching those precious extra Z’s while your car whisks you to work—no hands on the wheel required.
Sounds like a dream, right? Well, for most commuters, it seems this futuristic fantasy still provokes more anxiety than excitement.
Our recent survey diving into how people would spend their newfound free time in fully automated cars has revealed some fascinating insights about our collective trust (or lack thereof) in self-driving technology.
The results might just pump the brakes on predictions about when autonomous vehicles will truly become mainstream.
Survey Findings
We asked respondents: “Imagine your daily commute in a fully autonomous vehicle that requires no driver attention. How would you most likely spend your new free time during journeys?”
The results were enlightening:
- 59 respondents (32.4%) said they “wouldn’t feel comfortable riding in a fully autonomous vehicle”
- 56 people (30.8%) would stay “alert and monitoring the roads anyway”
- 15 respondents (8.2%) would enjoy “movies, TV shows or gaming”
- 15 people (8.2%) would connect “with friends or family through calls or messages”
- 13 respondents (7.1%) would read “books or articles”
- 11 people (6%) would “catch up on sleep or rest”
- 6 respondents (3.3%) would “get ahead on work tasks”
- 4 people (2.2%) would practice “hobbies (knitting, learning a language, etc.)”
- 3 respondents (1.6%) selected “other”
Automated Cars: Trust Remains the Biggest Hurdle
Perhaps the most striking finding is that over 63% of respondents either wouldn’t feel comfortable in self-automated cars at all or would still monitor the roads despite the promise of full autonomy.
This suggests a significant trust gap that manufacturers and technology companies must address before autonomous cars take over our roadways.
This scepticism isn’t entirely surprising. Despite rapid advancements in car automation technology, high-profile automated driving car accidents have received substantial media coverage, reinforcing safety concerns among the public.
Fully Automated Cars: The Promise of Reclaimed Time
For those who would trust autonomous cars, the survey highlights some benefits of automated cars: the most popular activities would be entertainment (movies, gaming), socialising (connecting with friends and family), and relaxation (reading, sleeping).
These preferences demonstrate the potential quality-of-life improvements that fully automated cars could deliver by transforming commute time from a stressful necessity into productive or enjoyable hours.
Automated Cars Pros and Cons: Productivity Takes a Backseat
Interestingly, only a small percentage of respondents (3.3%) would use their commute time for work tasks in automated self-driving cars.
This contradicts the common narrative that one of the key benefits of automated cars will be increased productivity.
Instead, the results suggest that people value the potential for autonomous vehicles to enable leisure and connection more than work opportunities.
Looking Ahead
As technology advances and safety records of autonomous cars improve, we may see shifting attitudes in future surveys. Until then, the industry should take note that addressing consumer trust is as important as solving the technical challenges of automated driving cars.
What are your thoughts on automated self-driving cars? Would you trust them with your commute? We’d love to hear your perspective in the comments below.
If you want to know more about automated cars and how they work, take a look at our Self-driving Cars – All you need to know Blog.
Research conducted on 182 people surveyed in Jan 2025 by Stoneacre Motor Group