Study: People Don't Trust Uber or Lyft to Build Self-Driving Cars
A recent study has discovered most drivers prefer to see traditional automakers developing their autonomous cars, not ride-hailing companies like Uber or Lyft.
In Inrix’s Connected & Autonomous Vehicle Consumer Survey, 5,045 drivers from five countries weighed in on the subject. Roughly 30 percent of the pool indicated they “trusted” established automotive manufacturers to build their self-driving cars, with 20 percent feeling similarly about tech companies like Google’s Waymo. Only 4 percent said they had confidence in ride-hailing providers.
Some of that could be down to Uber’s lackluster performance. The company’s autonomous development efforts has seen it butting heads with regulators, annoying the entire city of Pittsburgh, and weathering high-profile traffic incidents.
Bob Pishue, senior economist at Inrix and co-author of the study, had another explanation for Automotive News. “Consumers and drivers have trust in these long-running corporations,” explained Pishue. “Rideshare companies are newer, and although they’re popular, people tend to trust those they’re most familiar with.”
Other takeaways from the study included significant consumer concern relating to data privacy. A third of all respondents said they did not trust anybody (or any company) with their connected car data. However, more than half of all respondents didn’t even know what a connected car is — meaning the distrusting segment could grow once people realize tomorrow’s cars will likely send their personal information and driving habits to a data storage network.
[Image: Ford Motor Company]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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The key word here is "build". So far these companies haven't built anything, they saw a problem (more like an opportunity) and made an app to cash in. Another guy made Angry Birds, do you think his skill sets translate well into making an airplane? To me this is like the dot com boom all over again. Back in those days anyone could make a webpage but only few could deliver. Remember eToys or Pets.com? The idea of Uber or Lyft (great name) making a better car then Ford or GM is crazy talk. On top of that a self driving car? Please... I've got a better chance of owning a bridge in Brooklyn.
I don't trust *anyone* to build self-driving cars.
This isn't too surprising. It's a question of bona fides, no? With automakers the credentials are clear. Google, is there too, to a lesser degree sure, but most are confident in their ability to write a competent artificial intelligence. Uber and Lyft? Sure it's reductive to say they simply wrote an app and cashed in, but that's the perception.
“Consumers and drivers have trust in these long-running corporations” Well that right there is all the proof you need of consumers' short memories, given the decades of exploding Pintos, ignition switch failures, gas pedals getting stuck, X-bodies, etc. The tech companies just have to weather the storm.