UK drivers are still not fully convinced that modern car software knows better than they do, according to new research from German automotive diagnostics firm Carly.
The survey, carried out among 2,000 motorists, found a near-even split.
Some 28% said they trust their car’s software systems more when driving and parking, while 27% said they still trust their own judgement more.
Another 38% said they trust both equally, which probably says more about the current state of car technology than either side would like to admit.
The findings are useful because they cut through some of the usual hype around driver-assistance systems.
Modern cars can now steer, brake, park, warn and intervene in ways that were once reserved for luxury models. But for many drivers, those systems remain difficult to understand.
A warning light appears. A lane-assist system tugs at the wheel. Parking sensors panic near a kerb. The car may be technically correct, but the driver is still left guessing what is happening.
Age also changes the picture. Drivers aged 25 to 34 are the most comfortable with car software, with 44% saying they trust vehicle systems more.
Among drivers over 65, that figure falls to 20%. That is not especially surprising. Younger drivers have grown up with apps, sensors and constant software updates. Older drivers are more likely to judge the car by what they can feel, hear and control.
Carly’s angle is that trust improves when drivers can see more of what the car is doing.
Its OBD-based app gives users access to diagnostic data, fault codes, used-car checks and other vehicle health information. It turns some of the car’s hidden software signals into readable information.
Carly UK growth manager Emma Brown said drivers were being asked to trust technology more than ever, but not always given the tools to understand it. She said the findings showed “not a rejection of technology, but a desire for clarity”.
For carmakers, that is the difficult bit. Adding software is easy enough. Making it feel transparent, predictable and worth trusting is harder.
