Nearly three in five motorists have warned they would feel uncomfortable travelling in self-driving vehicles, which are set to hit UK roads this year.
The findings come shortly before fully driverless Jaguar I-Pace SUVs will start carrying passengers around the capital as part of a Government-backed trial aimed at speeding up the rollout of autonomous technology.
The move marks a major step towards driverless transport in the UK, with ride-hailing giant Uber expected to join the pilot scheme later this spring, while Waymo also plans to launch in London by September.
With trials expanding quickly, 2026 is shaping up to be a crucial year for the technology, although public confidence is lagging behind.
A new survey by Go.Compare, which questioned 2,000 UK adults in January, found that 46 per cent of respondents would not feel safe using a driverless taxi.
Safety fears remain the biggest barrier, with many motorists uneasy about handing full control over to a machine.
Around 38 per cent said they worried a self-driving car could malfunction, while some feared they could become trapped inside the vehicle if systems failed.
Moral objections were also present, with nearly one in three people saying they would avoid autonomous taxis altogether because they oppose the replacement of human drivers with machines.
Self-driving taxis are already being used across the United States, with the hopethat they arrive in the UK this year
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PAOnly 12 per cent stated they were looking forward to using a driverless cab, while only six per cent said they had no safety concerns at all.
The findings suggested that winning over the public may require targeted reassurance, particularly for groups who feel most uneasy about the technology.
Tom Banks, spokesperson for Go.Compare Car Insurance, said: “The launch of driverless taxis on our roads is an exciting step, and could promise a new era of innovation, but our data shows that many of us are still hesitant about embracing the technology.”
He added that testing alone would not be enough to reassure the public, stressing the need for clearer communication around safety.
Self driving cars are set to come onto UK roads by 2027 | REUTERS
Separate research by car marketplace Carwow painted a similar picture, as half of all UK drivers surveyed said they would not feel comfortable travelling as a passenger in a self-driving car.
Londoners were found to be 20 per cent more likely than the national average to say they would ride in a driverless vehicle, while people living in rural areas were 10 per cent more likely to reject the idea outright.
Urban residents accounted for more than a third of those willing to embrace autonomous vehicles, suggesting familiarity with new transport options may play a role in acceptance.
When asked specifically about autonomous taxis, 43 per cent of taxi users said they would refuse to use one.
Waymo utilises a fleet of electric Jaguar I-Pace models | REUTERS
One-quarter said they would prefer to wait and see how the service performs before making up their minds.
Jamie Edkins, News Editor at Carwow, added: “Autonomous technology seems to be accelerating much faster than public trust.”
However, he noted signs of gradual change, pointing out that many drivers already rely on features such as adaptive cruise control and lane assist, often without realising these are early forms of autonomous technology.
