A significant portion of Americans continue to express apprehension about using self-driving vehicles, as indicated by a survey released by AAA. Conducted in January, the survey included responses from 1,095 individuals and revealed that 61 percent of participants do not trust self-driving vehicles. This survey did not distinguish between semi-autonomous vehicles, such as certain Tesla models, and fully autonomous vehicles, like Waymo robotaxis. On the other hand, 13 percent of respondents expressed trust in self-driving vehicles, while 26 percent felt uncertain about their safety.
Although the percentage of individuals who are fearful of self-driving vehicles has decreased from last year’s 66 percent, the 2025 figures still reflect a 7 percent increase in fear since AAA’s inaugural self-driving survey in 2021.
AAA’s survey also asked participants specifically about robotaxis, revealing that 74 percent were aware of the availability of self-driving rideshare cars in select cities. Despite this awareness, 53 percent indicated a reluctance to ride in one. Millennials and Generation X drivers showed more openness to robotaxis compared to Baby Boomers, although majorities of these younger groups still expressed unwillingness to utilize such vehicles.
The survey highlighted that developing self-driving vehicles is not a priority for most respondents, who showed a preference for investments in vehicle safety systems over expanding access to autonomous vehicles. Interest in self-driving vehicles has declined from 18 percent in 2022 to 13 percent in 2023.
Greg Brannon, the automotive engineering director at AAA, stated that most drivers want automakers to prioritize advanced safety technology. He noted the wide range of opinions on fully self-driving cars but emphasized that drivers clearly value features that enhance safety.
Although drivers continue to be skeptical of autonomous vehicles, many expressed interest in self-driving technologies such as automatic emergency braking, reverse automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assistance. AAA reiterated its appeal for clearer naming of these autonomous technologies to reduce confusion.