QOTD: Are These Crazy Canucks Onto Something?

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

A great number of us here at TTAC distrust autonomous vehicles, the predictions surrounding them, and — for reasons that become clearer with every reported mishap — most of the companies peddling this technology as a way of making our roads death- and traffic-free about 48 minutes from now. Or is it two years? These predictions come and go.

If we’ve learned anything recently, it’s that some companies place greater trust in their fledgling technology than they should, and that citizens would be right to take their forward-thinking claims with a heaping of salt.

An interesting poll just emerged from the snowy wastes of Canada, one that fills this author with a newfound trust in his countrymen countrypeople. Depending on where you live, you either can’t wait for the autonomous revolution, or you don’t trust it at all. Apparently, no country is more skeptical than Canada.

A survey of Canadians over the age of 18 by polling firm Ipsos shows that no other country is less enthused at the prospect of turning over the steering wheel to a mass of sensors and a computer that knows best. In terms of outright opposition to the idea, only Germany, home of the Autobahn and birthplace of the car, ranks higher.

The U.S. matches Canada’s tally of people who hate the idea, but ranks above it in terms of people who “can’t wait to use one.”

Could it be that Canadians are hip to the concerns we’ve stated for so long — that less-than-ideal infrastructure and bad weather poses a greater threat to the proliferation of autonomous driving than companies and tech websites suggest? Are Canadians more likely to recognize the hurdles standing in the way of this technology?

Just think of a snowy commute home to your house in rural Anytown, Canada. (North Dakota or Minnesota work, too.) The lane markers are blanketed and completely obscured by many inches of snow. Forward facing cameras and and proximity sensors have accumulated a nice crust of dirty slush or, if it’s colder, pure ice. Yes, that AV you’re riding in will really hold that lane. Is that your exit up ahead, or a farmer’s field? Looks the same from here.

There’s workarounds to every problem, but, as a former Managing Editor postulated, it’s infrastructure that’s key to making AVs work. The vehicles themselves are secondary.

Interestingly, when asked in what situations they would use a vehicle, “driving in bad weather” came in dead last. 32 percent of respondents said they would never operate a vehicle in self-driving mode in such conditions.

Canadians’ cynicism around self-driving vehicles didn’t end there. On every question asked about the supposed benefits of such vehicles, the country’s respondents came in well below the global average. Easier? Nope. More comfortable? Nope. More relaxing? Nada. More economical? Nuh uh. Friendlier to the environment? Hell no. Safer? Get outta here.

Either Ipsos contacted a group of well-camouflaged Luddites strategically sprinkled around the country, or the sentiment towards AVs is legitimately more negative than this author would have assumed. Who knew Canada would top the U.S. on the driving freedom index?

What say you, B&B — are these Canucks onto something? Has the hype surrounding the capabilities of autonomous vehicles hoodwinked too many people into believing it’s a viable near-term technology for the masses?

[Image: Ipsos]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Jalop1991 Jalop1991 on Apr 14, 2018

    "Countrymen" is fine, thank you.

  • Scott25 Scott25 on Apr 15, 2018

    I dare anyone to argue how autonomous vehicles are more “environmentally friendly”. Building new roads and rebuilding the entire infrastructure of the planet isn’t “environmentally friendly”. Making sure less humans die on the roads and raising the population even more isn’t “environmentally friendly” either.

  • Lorenzo Heh. The major powers, military or economic, set up these regulators for the smaller countries - the big guys do what they want, and always have. Are the Chinese that unaware?
  • Lorenzo The original 4-Runner, by its very name, promised something different in the future. What happened?
  • Lorenzo At my age, excitement is dangerous. one thing to note: the older models being displayed are more stylish than their current versions, and the old Subaru Forester looks more utilitarian than the current version. I thought the annual model change was dead.
  • Lorenzo Well, it was never an off-roader, much less a military vehicle, so let the people with too much money play make believe.
  • EBFlex The best gift would have been a huge bonfire of all the fak mustangs in inventory and shutting down the factory that makes them.Heck, nobody would even have to risk life and limb starting the fire, just park em close together and wait for the super environmentally friendly EV fire to commence.
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