A survey has revealed that consumers in China and Europe are far more open to the idea of electric vehicles and self-driving technologies than those in the U.S.
The survey was conducted by OC&C Strategy Consultants and, according to Reuters, shows that 90 per cent of Chinese respondents would consider, were likely to, or definitely will buy an electric car. In Germany, France, and the UK, between 64 per cent and 77 per cent of respondents said the same, while in the United States, roughly half said an EV will be their next car purchase.
Worried Buyers: Seven In 10 Americans Afraid To Ride In Fully-Autonomous Cars
In addition, no less than 90 per cent of Chinese consumers said they are open to fully-shared mobility options, whereas the majority of respondents from Europe and the United States want to retain private ownership of their vehicles. Those in Europe and the United States said that owning a vehicle remains an important status symbol and that having a car of your own is more convenient and reliable than using a car-sharing service.
It’s a similar story with autonomous driving technologies. Roughly a third of Western consumers revealed that they are distrustful of self-driving cars, while just 4 per cent of those from China surveyed answered the same.
OC&C Strategy Consultants surveyed approximately 2,000 consumers between March and April 2019 in online polls.
This isn’t the first time consumers have expressed distrust in autonomous vehicles. In a survey from the American Automobile Association earlier this year, 71 per cent of those questioned said they were afraid to ride in fully self-driving vehicles. Guess Westerners aren’t ready to hand over the keys to their cars just yet, are they?
