J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Robotaxi Experience study has revealed that consumers who have used driverless ride-hailing services rate their experiences highly, with an average score of 8.53 out of 10. The study, now in its second year, surveyed 3,773 respondents, including 773 individuals from cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Dallas—where robotaxi services are already operational.
The study highlighted a significant difference in consumer confidence between those who had previously ridden in a robotaxi and those who had not. Confidence was measured at 76% for experienced users, compared to just 20% for those who hadn’t.
Interestingly, 34% of non-riders who had seen self-driving vehicles in action expressed some level of trust and acceptance. This suggests that public exposure to the technology, even without personal use, can increase trust in driverless solutions.
The study assessed five key categories: comfort and convenience, ride initiation, in-vehicle experience, service availability and cost, and vehicle technology. Among the notable findings, safety features like emergency buttons were essential to consumer trust, while service area coverage and cost remained barriers for some potential users. Many robotaxi providers are currently focusing on mapping specific service areas to address these concerns.
Kathleen Rizk, J.D. Power’s Senior Director of User Experience Benchmarking and Technology, noted that the robotaxi market remains open, with most consumers still unfamiliar with individual brands.
However, the study found that 77% of users would prefer a driverless robotaxi over a ride-share with a human driver when privacy is a concern. The findings come as companies like Tesla and others are ramping up efforts to enter the commercial robotaxi market.
