Similar concerns have also been voiced by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) worried over the responsibility risks in road accidents with robotic cars.
IAM director of policy, Neil Greig said: “The next few years could see a confusing combination of computer and human-controlled vehicles on our roads so the legal framework must be clear on who is responsible in the event of a crash. The way we train drivers will have to change to reflect this.
In the not so distant future a hacker could do more damage than a drunk driver
“The committee recognised our concerns about data protection. Computerised vehicles will generate information on an epic scale. In the not so distant future a hacker could do more damage than a drunk driver. Getting system security right must be a top priority.”
The report on new research from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) shows that a big shift will be required in public acceptance of driverless cars.
The IET surveyed 2,023 adults online aged 16-75 to assess current appetite for, and understanding of, driverless vehicles. It found that demand for driverless cars is most likely to come from men and those in London.
But even then public acceptance is not high as the survey shows that just a quarter of men would definitely consider using a driverless car, while only 16% of women would.
