Are we ready for driverless cars? It is rather surprising how receptive people are to the subject This vote of confidence is likely to become stronger over time. of autonomous driving even though almost nobody has actually Three quarters of drivers aged under 45 could imagine handing experienced it to date. This was confirmed by an EY survey of the steering wheel to a robot, while only half of those above 1,000 drivers in Germany: more than 4 in 10 could imagine of 65 would consider this option. letting an autopilot steer their car. The proportion increased to 66% if they were given the added option of taking over the wheel in an emergency. Only 12% would categorically refuse to use a self-driving vehicle as a means of transport. The option to intervene is important Can you imagine traveling in a self‑driving vehicle that What if you were able to intervene in the case negotiates traffic without human intervention? of an emergency? 4 4 17 12 25 ■ Yes 31 ■ Yes ■ Maybe ■ Maybe 18 ■ Probably not 25 ■ Probably not ■ Absolutely not ■ Absolutely not ■ I don‘t know yet 23 ■ I don‘t know yet 41 Figures in percent Figures in percent If we leave the technical and legal details of autonomous will replace people in the future and take away their work, driving aside for a moment to focus on the real challenge posed thereby destroying jobs. Rather, the question is to what extent by this subject — the interaction between man and car and people are willing to entrust their lives to a machine. therefore the wider man-machine relationship — the fundamental issue becomes clear. The question is not whether machines Who’s in the driving seat? | 5