The UK Government is pushing forward with plans to introduce self-driving cars by the end of 2021, but a new survey by a major motoring publication says the public don’t want the technology on the roads.

The consumer survey carried out by What Car? found that 76 per cent of drivers are not keen on the prospect of sharing a road with an autonomous vehicle, even with limited capabilities.

Transport Minister Rachel Maclean announced last month that the country is ready to introduce trials of automated lane-keeping systems, a technology which makes the car stay in the lane.

The level three automation level is only available on a limited number of cars on the market, though the different levels of automation and assistance systems are causing some confusion with drivers, with only 35 per cent of drivers knowing the difference between level 1 and level autonomous vehicles.

Steve Huntingford, Editor, What Car?, said: “While the Government is clearly intent on ensuring the UK stays at the forefront of driverless car development, current drivers still need both education and convincing around the technology.

“Consumer understanding of the various levels of autonomy is low at the moment, and it will be important for both manufacturers and the Government to ensure drivers understand the limitations of the current and future systems in their cars before handing over control for however short of a period.”

A report published by the Department for Transport fond that the connected and automated vehicles market could be worth £41.7bn by 2035.

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