According to the survey conducted by used car website SK Encar last month, over 60 percent of the 1,635 respondents said they would consider buying an autonomous vehicle, while 35.3 percent showed no interest. (Image: Kobiz Media)
SEOUL, May 19 (Korea Bizwire) – Over six in 10 car buyers are interested in purchasing autonomous vehicles once they are commercialized, a recent survey has revealed.
According to the survey conducted by used car website SK Encar last month, over 60 percent of the 1,635 respondents said they would consider buying an autonomous vehicle, while 35.3 percent showed no interest.
When asked why, the most common responses for those who were interested in autonomous vehicles were ‘convenience and safety’, ‘to rest when feeling tired while driving’, or ‘to prevent drowsy driving’.
Others who didn’t find autonomous driving appealing said they’d rather drive themselves, as they find driving to be a fun activity, while some raised concern over the safety of self-driving cars.
Over 53 percent held a favorable view of driverless cars operating alongside regular vehicles, citing “improved productivity on the road” and “fewer car accidents due to the precision of self-driving technology.”
Nearly 40 percent rejected the idea on the other hand, as they worried artificial intelligence at the current stage of development lacks flexibility.
The most popular autonomous car maker was Tesla, receiving nearly 50 percent backing from the respondents, closely followed by Mercedes-Benz (28.9%) and BMW (23.3%).
M.H.Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
