Age Dictates What Features People Want in Self-Driving Cars

Justin Sullivan/Getty Image(PITTSBURGH) — Americans’ attitudes about the apparent eventuality of self-driving cars range from excitement to sheer terror.

However, among those who accept the fact that there’ll be vehicles on the road maneuvering themselves within the next ten years, there’s also a wide difference of opinion on the features they feel will be most valuable. And as usual, those opinions depend upon the generation to which they belong.

In a survey conducted by the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, “self-adjusting performance based on weather conditions” was the top response of the 1,000 respondents ages 18-70 when the answers were taken in their entirety.

However, about two-thirds of those 18-24 and 66-70 chose “self-parking to find a space” as their number-one priority.

The youngest respondents were also hot for features like “TV or computer in the dashboard,” and a valet that picks them up in the rain, more so than any other age groups.

As for how they would use their free time while being shuttled around, about 37 percent of people under age 35 expressed a desire to turn their vehicle into a moving office so they could get work done. However, as self-driving car owners get older, their desire to work also wanes.

In fact, seniors 66 and older said they would prefer reading over any other activity.

Respondents aged 25-34 favored watching TV or putting on makeup more than any other group.

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