RAC Report on Motoring 2016

Executive summary

A significant percentage of motorists have serious concerns about the air quality where they live. More than a third of motorists (34%) say they are worried about their local air quality, while 40% of drivers say they are more concerned about this issue now than 12 months ago. In terms of public policy, there appears to be strong support (from 66% of drivers) for action to cut vehicle pollution in the areas with the worst air quality, while 55% of motorists support the Clean Air Zones set to be introduced in a number of cities by the end of the decade . Despite this, issues such as the environmental impact of motoring and pollution from diesel engines rank low on the list of drivers’ spontaneous concerns.

The UK’s bid to become a pioneer in the introduction of driverless vehicles may flounder unless more effective action is taken to communicate the benefits of this technology to the general public. Most motorists (76%) do not expect driverless cars to become available to the public before the end of the current decade, while only half (49%) expect autonomous vehicles to outnumber conventional models by 2070 – this is despite ministers’ current plans to turn the UK into a leader in driverless-car technology. The Government’s success in this endeavour will be heavily influenced by its ability to convince motorists of the benefits of autonomous vehicles. At present, only a quarter of drivers (27%) believe such cars will lead to safer roads, while a similarly low percentage (28%) expect driverless cars to reduce congestion. Almost half (48%) of respondents say they are not looking forward to travelling in a driverless vehicle.

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