A new survey by motoring insurance comparison site Quotezone.co.uk found 66% of respondents had an unfavourable opinion of driverless vehicles, with just 12% saying they viewed the technology positively.
The findings come as ministers confirm plans to begin trials of self‑driving taxi and bus services in spring 2026, with a wider rollout of fully autonomous private cars pencilled in for late 2027.
Safety fears top the list
When asked about their biggest concerns, almost a quarter (24%) cited safety and accident risk. Other top worries included the chance of technical failures or malfunctions (18%), the loss of human control (17%), and the threat of hacking or other cyber‑security breaches (12%).
Insurance and liability questions were also raised, with 11% saying they were worried about who would be held responsible in the event of a crash – the driver, the manufacturer, or the software provider.
‘Public trust is still catching up’
Quotezone’s founder and car insurance expert Greg Wilson said:
“While driverless technology continues to advance at pace, it seems public trust is still catching up. Many people remain understandably cautious about handing over control to a machine – especially on busy, unpredictable UK roads.
Driverless cars bring up a lot of complex questions surrounding insurance and responsibility. Insurers will need a robust framework for claims in order to help drivers feel more secure.”
Reluctance to own
The survey of 1,000 UK adults, carried out in July, found 84% would not be willing to own a driverless car. Only 13% said they would, with the rest undecided.
Limited self‑driving features are already legal in the UK, but current rules require a human driver to remain in control at all times. The government’s planned pilot schemes would be the first time fully autonomous passenger services operate on public roads.
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