Automated driving technologies UK drivers want in their cars
With car manufacturers constantly introducing new features and technologies, one area of significant innovation is automated driver assistance systems (ADAS). These technologies, designed to enhance safety and convenience, are becoming increasingly prevalent in modern vehicles.
YouGov research conducted among UK adults who own a car provides valuable insights into the prevalence and importance of ADAS features.
The study reveals that a wide range of automated driving technologies are now available to consumers, with 50% of car owners saying parking/rear collision warning is found in their cars. Adaptive cruise control (33%) and forward collision warning (33%) are the second most common features, while lane keeping or changing assistance is reported by 26% of car owners.
Additionally, 25% of drivers have automatic emergency braking systems in their cars. Less common are blind-spot monitoring (18%) and active parking assistance, with 13% reporting the latter feature. Few consumers say they have some of the more advanced features, such as automatic emergency steering (10%) and hands-free driving systems (7%).
Importance of automated driver assistance features
The research also highlights the perceived importance of these features among car owners. Equal proportions of car owners surveyed find parking/rear collision warning system (86%) and blind-spot monitoring as crucial features. Automatic emergency braking, a system designed to prevent or mitigate frontal collisions, is viewed as important by 78% of car owners. Forward collision warning, another safety-oriented feature, is important to 74% of respondents, while hands-free driving systems are considered important by 71%.
However, some ADAS features are not as highly valued by a significant portion of Britons. Lane keeping or changing assistance is seen as unimportant by 26% of car owners. Active parking assistance, which automates parking maneuvers, is similarly undervalued by 22%. Adaptive cruise control, a feature that adjusts vehicle speed to maintain a safe distance from other cars, while important to 51% of car owners is considered unimportant by 20% of owners.
Automated driver assistance features for new car buyers
For those planning to purchase a new car within the next 12 months, the value of these automated driver assistance technologies becomes a key consideration—especially if cost were not a factor. More than two-fifths (44%) of potential buyers say they highly value parking/rear collision warning. A third of buyers consider forward collision warning (33%) and blind-spot monitoring (33%) highly valuable when evaluating a new vehicle.
Around 26% of potential buyers value automatic emergency braking moderately, while 27% feel similarly about adaptive cruise control. Meanwhile, 26% of buyers slightly value lane keeping or changing assistance, suggesting it may not be as crucial in purchasing decisions.
Interestingly, 32% of potential buyers say they do not value hands-free driving systems at all, indicating that fully automated driving technology might not yet be a priority for most consumers.
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Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online on September 4, 2024, with a nationally representative sample of 2,165 adults in UK (aged 18+ years), using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education, social grade and region to be representative of all adults. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.
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