Over the last couple of weeks, the D-Risk team has been running public workshops across the country to get a better understanding of how people feel about safety when it comes to self-driving cars. Here, Head of Research and Service Design, Ed Houghton and Project Manager, Nitika Raja share some of the initial findings, and explain the value of deliberative methods and local perspectives when it comes to drawing out valuable new insights…

Road safety is an issue that affects us all. Whether you’re a keen cyclist, driver or prefer to get about by foot, we all get around our towns and cities via roads, which are often busy and have to accommodate many different users trying to get from A to B. For many, particularly the elderly or those with young children, simply using the road can be frightening.

Self-driving cars are often cited as a potential solution to increasing road safety. In theory, self-driving cars are more predictable, less prone to human error, and have the added benefit of being constantly connected to one another and their environment. This means that travel in busy city centres could be more coordinated and efficient. But whilst there is a lot of potential, they are very much still in testing - and that means we have limited knowledge of what a safe self-driving future might look like.

We decided to open up the discussion to the public to understand a bit more about the potential of self-driving cars to make our roads safer. As part of our work on D-Risk we’ve been running a national survey, and several workshops across the country to explore in detail people’s attitudes to and perceptions of self-driving technology. We wanted to make the experience as interesting, informative and open as possible, so we made use of a deliberative methodology, which is ideal for this type of work, as it aims to build consensus on a particularly sticky topic. The idea of deliberation is all about sharing, listening and learning by making use of data, evidence and expert opinion. We invited self-driving safety topic experts to speak and led a facilitated discussion afterwards, introduced the concept through comparisons to existing automated technology – such as in aeroplanes, lifts and escalators – and gave participants the opportunity to be creative and design their own vehicle. 

We ran these workshops in Southampton, Nottingham and London with members of the public. The discussions illustrated why it’s so vital to get out there to listen and understand local differences. For example, we asked participants to reflect on the modes of transport they typically use and how safe they feel. Something that stood out from this exercise was the extent to which the surrounding environment impacts people’s responses. The workshops were in places with very different infrastructure and transport links. Southampton participants predominantly used cars and bikes, and spoke about the challenges of travelling on the city’s narrow roads. Meanwhile, London participants spoke at length about public transport and many mentioned how they avoid driving in the city whenever they can help it. It was interesting to see how these experiences then shaped participants’ views on self-driving technology. Other factors, such as age and background, also played an important role in people’s perceptions. We were fortunate to speak to a broad demographic who were enthusiastic, engaged and readily shared their views. 

Here’s what they thought:

• Road safety is a big challenge - and one which tech could improve

  Again and again, perceptions of worsening road safety came up in our workshops. Changing road layout, increasing use of e-scooters, and drunk driving were all cited by participants. Many feel confident driving, but are worried about the behaviour of others. However, many of those we spoke to could see the value of technology like automated braking systems, automated lane-keeping systems and some (but not all) wanted to see more done to make tech that can help improve driving safety more widely available.

• Self-driving cars are a long-way off, but the safety case is compelling

  When we introduced self-driving cars as a way to reduce human error, many of our participants were keen to learn more. For those with mobility issues, self-driving cars presented a good option - others were less convinced. We also talked a lot about the kind of features that the public might expect in self-driving cars. Access to video data from cameras, location data, and voice controls were all of interest to participants. 

• Safety and trust go hand-in-hand

  We also introduced the concept of a shared self-driving car, which is operated by a service provider. This was of particular interest to the group, and highlighted the financial and environmental value of no longer owning and running a vehicle. But there were concerns over how personal data and self-driving systems could be managed to make sure individuals feel secure and safe. Many highlighted significant mistrust in “big business”, and also noted that at present trust in the government is low. However, the option of an independent body to oversee the testing and day-to-day operation of self-driving service companies was of real interest to many who participated.

In our survey, we have been noticing some interesting trends, such as the language people use to describe the technology. We asked respondents to share three words that come to mind when they hear the phrase ‘self-driving’ and their language expresses the clear divide in opinion: the words ‘safe’ ‘control’, ‘unnecessary’ and ‘dangerous’ all appear frequently. When we asked the same question in our deliberative workshops, we heard an equally broad range of responses. Issues with the overhead projector reminded us that technology can let us down at the best of times – one participant had this in mind when they wrote ‘unreliable’. Other participants were more trusting in self-driving technology and shared words like ‘optimistic’, ‘enabling’ and ‘convenient’. 

Overall, the workshops were a great success. Participants shared positive feedback and we collected some fascinating insights into how people perceive self-driving technology. Over the coming weeks we’ll be exploring the data in more detail and pulling out key findings for a new report as part of the D-Risk project. Whilst there are many findings still to discover, one thing is clear - the public is keen to play a role in deciding if and how self-driving technology features in their towns and cities.

In the meantime, if you would like to get involved, our survey is still open for you to share your thoughts on self-driving vehicle safety.