Here's what people say they would need to feel safe with driverless cars on B.C. streets.
![self-driving car A stock photo of a self-driving car. (File)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2023/8/10/self-driving-car-1-6514171-1691700658040.png)
New research shows what people in B.C. say they would need to feel safe sharing the road with self-driving cars – and having a human behind the wheel is high on the list.
The project out of the University of British Columbia's Research on Active Transportation Lab first set out to see how people perceived the impact of self-driving cars on pedestrian safety and comfort and how that could shape policy.
Gurdiljot Gill, the PhD candidate who conducted the study, says subjects were shown videos, one series with human-driven cars and another with self-driving cars.
Forty-one per cent perceived the scenarios with the autonomous vehicles as less safe or less comfortable for pedestrians.
But there was a twist.
"The videos are the same," Gill told CTV News, explaining that the perception of increased danger or discomfort could therefore be chalked up to skepticism about or bias against driverless cars.
“People who harbour anxiety or discomfort regarding new technology were more likely to hold a negative bias against SDVs. Similarly, residents in the Lower Mainland tended to adopt a more critical viewpoint, likely because there are more pedestrians in this urban region,” Gill wrote in a news release describing the results of the research.
Thirty-five per cent of participants assessed the scenarios with the self-driving cars as safer, while 25 per cent didn’t see a difference.
Although perceptions of safety varied, the research did find that some specific regulations were favoured by the vast majority of participants. Nine out of 10 said they would need the vehicles to be clearly labelled in order to feel safe and comfortable having them on the road.
The same percentage said these cars should have people behind the wheel in case of an emergency.
"People are used to seeing this human presence behind the windshield. So, if there is no human presence, people might feel very uncomfortable," Gill said.
These two recommendations topped the list of what people said would help increase confidence and comfort in sharing the road.
Other recommendations included gradually introducing these cars to the roads and limiting where they are allowed to areas that are not densely populated by pedestrians.
One of the reasons Gill said this research was important was because it looked at the issue from a perspective distinct from that of manufacturers or users of the technology.
"We are trying to tell the story of this general public, especially the people who won't be using these vehicles but who need to interact with them," Gill said.
The full study has been published online;
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
LIVE UPDATES Critical infrastructure 'successfully protected': Jasper park officials
Jasper National Park officials in an update said all critical infrastructure in the townsite has been "successfully protected, including the hospital, emergency services building, both elementary and junior/senior schools, activity centre and wastewater treatment plant."
BREAKING Canadian Olympic Committee removes women soccer team's head coach following drone incident
The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed women's national soccer team head coach Bev Priestman, according to a press release from the organization.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
'I was just shocked': Jasper lodge owner on seeing property destroyed by wildfire
On Wednesday night, the owner of Maligne Lodge in Jasper, Alta., was shocked to receive a photo of her business engulfed in flames.
Alberta premier says a third, perhaps half, of all Jasper buildings destroyed by fire
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says early reports indicate a third and perhaps up to half of all buildings in the historic Rocky Mountain resort town of Jasper have burned in a wildfire.
OPINION Prince Harry: Press intrusion and the family rift explored in new doc
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has once again found himself at the centre of media attention following his recent interview as part of 'Tabloids on Trial,' an ITV documentary on phone hacking and tabloid intrusion.
Yukon woman narrowly escapes bear attack, credits hair clip
A woman in Yukon believes her hair clip helped save her during a bear attack.
Tourist suffers 3rd-degree burns to feet after losing flip flops amid soaring temperatures in Death Valley
A tourist was hospitalized after suffering third-degree burns on his feet on Saturday when he lost his flip flops at a national park in California where temperatures soared past 50 C.
Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond likely has Indigenous DNA: report
The Law Society of British Columbia says a DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree "most likely" has Indigenous heritage.