Mature drivers won’t embrace driverless cars but they are willing to embrace technology like blind spot warning systems and reverse back-up cameras. That’s the conclusion of new research by The Hartford and MIT’s AgeLab.
Drivers ages 50 to 69 are most willing to adopt the following technologies:
- Blind-spot warning systems
- Reverse back-up cameras
- Smart headlights
- Collision avoidance systems
- Lane departure warnings
The MIT AgeLab is a multidisciplinary research program that works with business, government, and NGOs to improve the quality of life of older people and those who care for them. This is the third joint research project with The Hartford focused on vehicle technology.
When it comes to self-driving cars, mature drivers express more interest in “test-driving” a driverless car than in purchasing one. Almost three-quarters (70 percent) of participants said they would test-drive a self-driving car, compared to only 31 percent who would purchase one, even it if was the same price as a “regular” car. If a self-driving car and a “regular” car were the same price, more participants would buy the “regular” car (39 percent) than the self-driving one (31 percent).
Ninety-six percent of mature drivers reported that they would be willing to buy a car with at least one of the seven auto technologies in the study; nearly 10 percent indicated that they would be willing to buy all seven of the technologies.
A majority of participants also indicated they would be quite likely to use reverse back-up cameras, blind-spot warning systems, smart headlights, lane departure warning systems and collision avoidance systems if they had them. And a majority thought each of the seven technologies was worth having. Collision avoidance and blind spot warning systems were more likely to be perceived as worth having at any price than the other technologies in the study.
