A new research paper by the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) reveals that while most Canadians remain cautious about self-driving car technology, many believe that the innovation will eventually become safer to use.
Almost two-thirds of respondents to the CAA’s survey said they would not feel safe inside a driverless car. The reasons why they would be wary include vehicle hacking, data theft, or accountability in the event of an accident.
The same report, however, found that 57% of respondents believe driverless technology will – within a decade – advance to a point where they would be able to trust vehicles outfitted with the systems.
“Canadians clearly see the potential. We are just not there yet,” the CAA concluded in its report.
Some 81% of Canadians also said that clear and enforced rules are needed to protect the personal information of passengers in autonomous vehicles.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) had things to say about the report, supporting the position that there needs to be recommendations implemented for both drivers and insurers when it comes to autonomous vehicles.
The bureau suggested that there needs to be a single insurance policy covering driver negligence and autonomous vehicle technology liability.
“Legislation needs to reflect a world where vehicles have more automated features,” IBC auto insurance policy and innovation research team executive director Ryan Stein told Toronto Sun.
Stein explained that it will be difficult to determine human driver fault or a product liability claim when autonomous vehicles become more common.
