Safety concerns with autonomous driving

A study by NTU Singapore found that people’s safety concerns are gnawing away at their confidence in the technology. Another study joins the argument that autonomous driving is only supported as far as safety concerns allow. This has been proven in many studies through testing.

Fears about autonomous driving relate to technical safety, privacy concerns, and whether this will lead to job losses in traditional industries. These are also the criteria that the study by NTU (Nanyang Technological University) in Singapore extrapolated through questionnaires.

The lead researcher, Professor Shirley Ho, analyzed the results and concluded that the judgments made by artificial intelligence are more likely to be questioned than those made by humans. Thus, the safety risks of preventable accidents are viewed with suspicion and, consequently, negative safety messages have a greater impact on respondents, Ho said.

As an example, consider the fatal accident in 2018 when an Uber test vehicle ran over a woman. Although there was a female driver in it who could have avoided the accident, since it was an autonomous car, this accident caused a loss of confidence in autonomous driving technology.

The accepted uncertainty, is reduced by tests and completed test fields, such as those designed, planned and built by the Tilke company.

Furthermore, Ho promoted the positive view of autonomous driving in the public with his study only slightly: mobility for the elderly and disabled, accident avoidance and the reduction of energy consumption. But there is still a high negative perception on the safety of autonomous vehicles.