The autonomous car: A consumer perspective

"By now, most people have heard about self-driving cars. News about them seems to be everywhere, and automotive players, suppliers, and tech players are actively investing in hardware and software capabilities and testing and piloting vehicles. But what do consumers know about and expect from these vehicles really? And how do the organizations that build them plan for the future? Most importantly, what is the overlap, between the two? The new report by the Capgemini Research Institute surveyed 5,500 consumers and 280 executives from leading organizations in order to: • Explore consumer readiness for driverless cars • Understand, in-depth, consumers’ expectations for driverless cars • Assess automotive companies’ investments in driverless cars, and examine where they risk straying from consumer expectations • Share recommendations for how organizations can accelerate the journey towards a self-driving future. Consumers are embracing the idea of driverless cars and acceptance is set to double, from 25% to 52%, within five years. Many are willing to pay a premium for vehicles that will save them time and money, improve safety, and offer meaningful in-car experiences as long as their concerns about vehicle security and safety are met. But, are organizations in tune with consumer views? As it turns out, not always. Prescient organizations that envision a self-driving future need to involve consumers and keep them informed. They must also work on an ecosystem of services that is in line with consumer expectations regarding self-driving cars. They need to embrace a software-led future while addressing consumer concerns. This can only be done by integrating self-driving cars and the technology behind them into their overall company strategy."