A global survey from LeasePlan has shown that almost eight out of 10 respondents in the UK would be comfortable being passenger in a driverless car.

Those questioned in the UK were the fourth most comfortable with being a passenger in a driverless car (78%) after Denmark (83%), the Netherlands (83%) and Germany (81%).

In the UK, 16% of respondents were completely fine with being a passenger and 62% said they would feel nervous but still try it. Greece saw the lowest amount of respondents willing to try, with just 51% saying they would feel comfortable.

The data was gleaned from 3,859 respondents across Europe, Australia, the USA and India. Overall, 57% of those surveyed would try being a passenger in a driverless vehicle, despite feeling slightly nervous. A further 14%, predominantly male, would have absolutely no problem at all. 

Lesley Slater, business development director at LeasePlan UK, said: “It’s encouraging to see that in comparison to the global average, we are more likely to embrace this technology.

“With plans in place to test bed in Greenwich, London and other projects being given the green light in Coventry and Bristol this new technology, which was once seen as futuristic, is now looking a little nearer reality.”