53% of US Shun Robotaxis, Even Safe & Cheap
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- Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report surveyed 2,081 U.S. consumers between March 23‑29, with a margin of error of ±2.1 percent.
- Consumers: 53 percent said they would not ride a robotaxi and 26 percent were not currently considering it.
- Robotaxi safety claim: Even when told the technology is 100 percent safe, 42 percent would never consider riding and 22 percent remain not currently considering.
- Driver preference: When asked to choose between a 100 percent safe robotaxi and a human‑driven taxi, only 12 percent selected the robotaxi while 56 percent chose the human driver.
- $5 discount: A $5 fare reduction raised interest modestly—19 percent would choose the cheaper robotaxi, 48 percent still preferred the human driver, and a third opted out entirely.
- Tesla: 81 percent of respondents agreed a judge ruled Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self‑Driving marketing misleading; 63 percent think Tesla owners using FSD aren’t paying attention; 87 percent are concerned about Tesla robotaxi safety; 84 percent object to removing human safety monitors; 81 percent say Tesla shouldn’t offer fully autonomous robotaxis without a monitor.
Why it matters: The poll reveals that a clear majority of U.S. consumers remain unwilling to ride robotaxis, even when safety and price incentives are offered, eroding the market foundation for autonomous ride‑hailing firms and intensifying regulatory pressure on Tesla’s nascent robotaxi service.
