Over 70 per cent of drivers still think that driver enjoyment is important to them, despite the rise and prominence of autonomous cars, according to a new survey.
Research by Mazda found that 71 per cent of drivers still believe in the joy of driving, with only 29 per cent of those surveyed looking forward to the arrival of autonomous cars.
The view from Mazda is that autonomous driver technologies should act as a co-pilot, helping to avoid potential accidents but not intruding on the joy of driving.
The survey, conducted alongside research organisation Ipsos MORI surveyed over 11,000 people across Europe, with 1,000 of these being from the UK. It was commissioned as part of Mazda’s Drive Together campaign.
While the survey did find that drivers across Europe feel more positive towards autonomous cars than those in the UK, it was only minor, with an average of 66 per cent of drivers across Europe still enjoying the thrill of driving. In the UK, 62 per cent of people also said they drive “just for fun”.
Interestingly the survey also found that there was little difference between the age groups in those apprehensive about autonomous cars.
Mazda UK managing director Jeremy Thompson said: “It’s heartening to see that so many British drivers still love driving – yes, self-driving cars are coming and yes they have a role to play, but for us, there is nothing quite like the physical pleasure of driving.
“At Mazda we believe in putting the driver at the heart of everything we do and if you look at the industry in general, we believe that many manufacturers are taking a lot of driving pleasure away from drivers. We’re fighting against this and it’s clear from the research that there’s still a huge percentage of drivers who just want to be behind the wheel.”
