DUBLIN, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Nearly three in 10 British consumers plan to try robotaxis once they begin operating on British roads, while most say a poor first experience would discourage them from using the service again, according to a survey released on Wednesday by Cubic3, an Ireland-based provider of connectivity solutions for software-defined and connected vehicles.
The survey, commissioned by Cubic3 and conducted by research firm Censuswide among 2,000 British consumers, found that 29 percent of respondents intend to try a robotaxi when autonomous ride-hailing services become available in Britain.
However, 73 percent said a disappointing first journey would stop them from using the service again, while 82 percent said a smooth and reliable ride would be essential before they would consider becoming repeat users.
The findings come as Britain prepares to launch pilot robotaxi services under its broader plans to introduce self-driving vehicles, highlighting both growing public interest in autonomous transport and lingering concerns over safety and reliability.
According to the survey, short urban trips were the most popular anticipated use case, cited by 16 percent of respondents, followed by journeys with friends or family (14 percent) and late-night travel (13 percent).
Despite the early interest, nearly half of respondents (49 percent) said they would be unlikely to use a robotaxi even if one became available in their area, while half said they would feel uncomfortable taking a ride in one.
Safety-related concerns topped the list of barriers to wider adoption, with 50 percent of respondents citing the risk of accidents, followed by vehicle malfunctions or breakdowns (41 percent), difficulties obtaining assistance during emergencies (35 percent), and the loss of onboard connectivity during a journey (28 percent).
Among respondents worried about connectivity failures, 54 percent feared that a robotaxi might not respond appropriately to unexpected situations, while 49 percent questioned whether it could continue to navigate safely if communication links were disrupted. More than a quarter of respondents also cited cybersecurity and data privacy as concerns.
Dave Kelly, chief corporate officer of Cubic3, said consumers' willingness to embrace robotaxis would depend largely on whether the vehicles could deliver a seamless, reliable and continuously connected travel experience.
The British government opened applications in May for operators to provide autonomous taxi, bus and private hire services under a pilot program.
The Department for Transport said the services will be required to meet strict safety standards before passengers are allowed to book rides later this year.
