Public attitudes to driverless cars: April 2026
See the full data tables here.
New polling by Opinium for for the launch of the Institute for Driverless Transport suggests the public remains cautious about the arrival of autonomous vehicles on UK roads. While a slim majority can identify at least one potential benefit, the single most common response is that driverless cars offer no benefits at all.
The findings point to a public debate that is still in its early stages. Many people can see possible advantages in areas such as road safety and accessibility, but most are not yet persuaded at a practical level, and large numbers have not formed a view on some of the wider questions raised by the technology.
Views on driverless cars remain sceptical
One in three UK adults (33%) say driverless cars have no benefits at all, making this the most commonly selected single answer. Even so, 52% are able to identify at least one benefit, suggesting opinion is not uniformly hostile so much as unconvinced.
Among the advantages people do see, the most frequently cited are fewer drunk or dangerous drivers (31%) and better access to transport for disabled people (21%). The findings suggest the public is most receptive to arguments about safety and inclusion, rather than convenience alone.
That scepticism is also reflected in people’s choices as passengers. When asked whether they would prefer a taxi with a human driver or a driverless one, 71% choose a human driver, while just 8% actively prefer a driverless taxi.
Younger adults are far more open to the technology
The clearest divide in the polling is generational. Among 18–34 year olds, 18% say driverless cars have no benefits, compared with 50% of those aged 65 and over.
Younger adults are also more willing to imagine using the technology in everyday life. 29% of all adults say they would be likely to use a driverless car to get home after a night out, rising to 42% among 18–34 year olds. This points to a much higher level of openness among younger groups, even if enthusiasm is still far from universal.
Some use cases cut through more than others
Although overall attitudes are cautious, the polling suggests there are certain journeys where driverless vehicles may feel more acceptable to the public. As well as travel after a night out, 28% say they would be likely to use one for medical appointments and the same proportion (28%) for airport journeys.
These are all situations where convenience, reliability or safety may matter more than the experience of having a human driver. The public appears more open to autonomous vehicles in specific, practical contexts than in the abstract.
Security and control remain unsettled questions
The survey also suggests that wider questions about who operates driverless vehicles have yet to enter the public mainstream. 41% agree that only companies from the UK or allied countries should be allowed to operate driverless vehicles on British roads, compared with 24% who disagree.
However, the most striking figure here may be the level of uncertainty. More than a third (35%) say they do not know, indicating that many people have not yet formed a view on the security and ownership questions that may become more prominent as commercial services begin to appear.
Regional differences hint at uneven readiness
Attitudes also vary significantly by region. In the West Midlands, 42% say they would be likely to use a driverless car after a night out, compared with 37% in London and just 18% in the North East.
This may reflect differing levels of familiarity with the technology. The West Midlands has been used as a testbed for connected and autonomous vehicle development, and the higher level of openness there suggests public acceptance may be shaped in part by local exposure.
Overall, the findings paint a picture of a public that is not rejecting driverless vehicles outright, but is still weighing up the trade-offs. There is some recognition of the potential benefits, particularly around safety and accessibility, but trust remains limited and many of the wider questions have not yet fully landed with the public.
Opinium conducted a nationally and politically representative survey of 2,050 UK adults between 18 and 20 March 2026.