American's Would rather Buy Cars From Google Than GM
Americans Would Rather Buy Cars from Google Than GM
Writer - John Linden
Would you buy a car from Google? If asked that question, many people might be very confused. Everyone knows that Google’s a great search engine, but what do they know about cars? Quite a lot, as it turns out. Google has recently been working on a car that drives itself, and their prototypes have actually performed very well. Other companies, including GM and Nissan, have also been working towards a self-driving car, or at least using some of that technology in future vehicles.
A Study Done on Self-Driving Cars
A survey done by KPMG, an accounting and consulting firm, shows that more participants would feel more comfortable buying a self-driving car from a technology company like Google. When asked to score their level of comfort in buying a self-driving car, the average score for purchasing it from a technology company was 8 out of 10. The average for buying such an advanced vehicle from what participants considered a premium manufacturer like Mercedes Benz was a 7.75. However, the average dropped to a 5 when asked about buying a self-driving car from traditional brands like GM.
How Close are We to Self-Driving Cars?
That’s what many people wonder. Google’s test cars are actually on the road now, although it will be some time before they’re available for the general public. Nissan has said that they plan on having their self-driving vehicles on the market by 2020. Will we really be throwing the car covers off our normal-driving cars that soon? It may be too early to tell yet. Check out SUV covers for your Nissan Rogue.
Why the Shift to Tech Companies?
When people were asked why they would want to buy a car from Google instead of GM, the answer was usually something along the lines of having more confidence in the technology if it came from a company like Google. Many people also seemed less interested in things like acceleration or speed. When people aren’t driving themselves, the study showed they were actually less interested in their car’s statistics.
A Shift to Renting
Some people may actually be tossing out custom car covers because instead of buying cars, they will rent them. In the survey, more people indicated they would be open to renting or simply using a self-driving car service instead of buying a second vehicle for their family. Those who did say they would buy were actually willing to spend more money on a self-driving car than on a standard car. The final numbers show that most people would spend up to 25 percent more on a self-driving car.
The Future of Vehicles
Will all cars be self-driving in the future? This question still goes unanswered since no one has any real data on how an entire large city full of self-driving cars would function. While we might find out in less than 10 years, there is always a chance that self-driving cars will fail. Until we know for certain, don’t get rid of your outdoor car covers. You may still need them to protect your car.
