Consumer Confidence in Self-Driving Vehicles Stagnates Despite Rising Awareness, JD Power Study Finds
Awareness of fully automated, self-driving vehicles (AVs) continues to increase among consumers in the United States, but confidence in the technology has failed to grow at the same pace, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Mobility Confidence Index (MCI) Study. The findings suggest that while more people now understand what autonomous vehicles are, concerns about safety, reliability, and real-world performance continue to prevent widespread acceptance.
The study shows a clear improvement in public understanding of automation. In 2026, 58% of consumers correctly identified what constitutes full vehicle automation, a notable increase from 43% in 2024. This indicates that education efforts, media coverage, and industry communication have helped improve awareness. However, greater understanding has not translated into stronger trust or willingness to use the technology.
Despite rising awareness, fewer than one in four consumers say they would feel comfortable riding in a fully self-driving vehicle. This highlights a persistent gap between awareness and readiness for adoption. Consumers may now better understand what autonomous vehicles are, but they remain unconvinced that the technology is safe enough for everyday use.
A key finding of the report is that trust in self-driving vehicles is highly dependent on context and perceived risk. Consumers show relatively higher confidence in low-risk or predictable tasks. For example, 54% of respondents expressed trust in autonomous vehicles being used for tasks such as food pickup or delivery. However, confidence drops significantly when the perceived responsibility or emotional risk increases. Only 31% of consumers said they would trust a self-driving vehicle to transport children, reflecting deep hesitation when safety stakes are higher.
Industry experts say this uneven trust profile presents a major challenge for manufacturers and technology developers. According to Lisa Boor, director of auto benchmarking and mobility development at JD Power, awareness alone is not enough to drive adoption. She emphasized that consumers expect clear evidence that automated systems can perform safely and consistently in real-world conditions.
“Consumer awareness of automated vehicle technology is improving, but confidence still depends on proven safety, real-world performance and clear consumer value,” Boor said. She added that users need assurance that these systems can handle unexpected situations and communicate their actions clearly. Without that level of transparency and reliability, she warned, mass adoption will remain limited.
The study also highlights that consumer expectations are evolving faster than their trust. As awareness grows, people are becoming more aware of both the potential benefits and the risks of automation. This creates a widening gap between what consumers know about the technology and how comfortable they feel using it.
This sentiment is echoed by researchers in mobility and transportation safety. Bryan Reimer, Ph.D., a research scientist at the MIT AgeLab and co-founder of the MIT Advanced Vehicle Technology Consortium, noted that technological progress alone is not enough to ensure public acceptance.
“Consumers are learning more about fully automated vehicles, but they are not yet becoming more confident in them,” Reimer said. He stressed that scaling autonomous vehicles will require more than engineering improvements or pilot programs. According to him, a trusted ecosystem must be built around transparency, governance, and accountability, especially as artificial intelligence systems are increasingly deployed in real-world transportation settings.
He further explained that public confidence will depend on how responsibly the technology is introduced. This includes clear regulations, performance transparency, and careful deployment strategies in real traffic environments. Reimer suggested that gradual rollout—based on evidence and measured success—may be the most sustainable path toward long-term acceptance.
The JD Power Mobility Confidence Index itself shows that overall consumer confidence in autonomous vehicles has remained largely unchanged over the past several years. The index score has increased only marginally, rising from 37 out of 100 in 2023 to 39 in 2024 and remaining flat at 39 in 2026. This plateau suggests that despite ongoing innovation in autonomous driving systems, public perception has not significantly shifted.
Safety remains the dominant concern holding back adoption. According to the study, 60% of consumers cite personal safety as their primary worry regarding self-driving vehicles. Another 58% are concerned about how autonomous systems would handle emergencies, while 51% question performance in difficult driving conditions such as heavy rain, snow, or heavy traffic. These concerns highlight the importance of reliability in unpredictable real-world environments, where even advanced systems can face challenges.
Beyond safety, the perceived value of autonomous vehicles varies widely depending on life circumstances. Nearly one-third of respondents (30%) said they do not see any meaningful value in automated vehicles at any stage of life. Among those who do recognize potential benefits, retirement is seen as the most promising stage for adoption, with 24% to 28% of consumers identifying it as the period when self-driving technology would be most useful. Many also pointed to situational needs—such as medical appointments, temporary disability, or mobility limitations—as scenarios where autonomous vehicles could provide significant value. About 25% of respondents highlighted these use cases.
This suggests that while universal adoption remains uncertain, targeted applications of autonomous technology may find earlier acceptance among specific demographic groups. Older adults, individuals with limited mobility, and those in temporary health-related situations may represent early adopters if safety concerns are addressed.
The study also identifies an interesting contradiction in consumer attitudes toward autonomous freight transport. Comfort with goods being transported by self-driving commercial vehicles scores relatively higher at 46 points on the index, making it one of the most positively viewed applications. However, personal comfort drops significantly when consumers consider sharing the road with autonomous semi-trucks. Only 16% of respondents said they feel comfortable doing so, and 43% believe autonomous trucks are less safe than human-driven ones. This reflects a clear psychological divide between accepting automation in logistics versus accepting it in shared public road environments.
The 2026 Mobility Confidence Index is based on responses from 2,898 U.S. vehicle owners aged 18 and older. The survey was conducted online in April 2026 and is weighted to reflect national census demographics. The index evaluates consumer comfort across seven key areas, including personal vehicle use, commercial transportation, public transit applications, riding in autonomous vehicles during inability to drive, sharing roads with AVs, testing of AV technology, and purchase intent.
Since its introduction in 2019, JD Power’s Mobility Confidence Index has been one of the most comprehensive tools for measuring public readiness for fully autonomous vehicles. The latest results suggest that while technological progress continues, consumer trust remains the defining barrier to widespread adoption.
Overall, the 2026 findings reinforce a consistent message: the future of self-driving vehicles will depend not only on innovation in engineering, but also on building sustained public confidence through transparency, safety validation, and real-world accountability.
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