87% of drivers would argue against banning human driving once driverless cars become readily available, IAM RoadSmart has found.
IAM RoadSmart, formerly the Institute of Advanced Motoritsts, found that 65% of drivers thought a human should always be in charge of a vehicle.
More drivers thought driverless cars were a bad idea (34%) than thought it a good idea (20%), and over half said that driverless cars would never be the norm on UK roads.
Just 16% thought driverless cars were an ‘exciting proposition.’
When told that 95% of accidents were down to ‘human error’ and that there was ‘a strong case for taking driver control out of the equation,’ less than a quarter (24%) agreed with the proposition, compared to 16% who disagreed and 60% said wait and see.
One autonomous technology which did prove popular was an automated system which stopped tailgating. 92% of respondents said they’d welcome this.
Sarah Sillars, chief executive of IAM RoadSmart, said: "Technological advances that make driving and riding safer for all road users have to be embraced whole-heartedly – but British motorists and our members, do want the right to drive.
"Intelligent cars will deliver a step change in road safety by targeting the human errors we make from time-to-time. At IAM RoadSmart we believe a well-trained driver and an ever-vigilant car is a win-win scenario for the future.
"This technology will also prove to be a major boost for business and keep UK PLC at the very edge of technological advance."
The results were found in a poll of 1,000 British motorists and a separate poll of 92,000 IAM RoadSmart members.
