Mobility Confidence Index Study Sheds Light on Consumer Readiness for Automated Vehicles

In August 2024, the AgeLab’s Advanced Vehicle Technology (AVT) Consortium fielded the 2024 Mobility Confidence Index (MCI) Study in collaboration with J.D. Power. The AVT Consortium represents an international collaborative research effort to understand the attitudes and behaviors drivers of all ages have toward various vehicle technologies. The MCI Study has been conducted annually since 2019.

In the study, a nationally representative sample comprised of 3000 American vehicle owners were surveyed to assess their acceptance of and readiness to use fully automated, self-driving vehicles. The study also investigated other topics including consumer confidence toward drones and air taxis, attitudes regarding insurance coverage of automated vehicles, and safety precautions taken by parents of teenage drivers.

The study rated consumer automated vehicle readiness using an index score on a 100-point scale. This year, consumers received a score of 39 out of 100, indicating that levels of acceptance toward automated vehicle technology are still relatively low. However, overall readiness increased by 2 points following a two-year decline, now matching the results of the 2022 study. “This year’s improvement is minimal because there are still many unmet needs required to boost consumer confidence,” said Lisa Boor, senior manager of auto benchmarking and mobility development at J.D. Power. Some of these unmet consumer needs include desires for safety statistics regarding automated vehicle technology and for the ability to take control of an automated vehicle if needed.

Another prominent area of concern among consumers pertained to data sharing practices; data privacy risks and vulnerability to hacks were among the most pressing concerns indicated by consumers, so much so that 78% of respondents said that an automaker’s data protection policy would play a role to some degree in their decision to purchase a vehicle. AgeLab researcher and AVT Consortium founder Bryan Reimer commented: “Data security and transparency regarding data use are becoming increasingly important as a foundation for building trust in technology and connected digital solutions.”

The study has significant implications for the future of automated vehicle design and communications. Key steps include educating drivers on the differences between varying levels of vehicle automation; and simplifying and standardizing the collection, storage, and transmission of sensitive personal data in order to ensure transparency and consumer privacy.

For more details about the MCI Study, read the full press release from J.D. Power here.