Trends in U.S. Drivers’ Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Vehicle Automation, 2019–2025

June 29th, 2026

Advances in automotive technology aim to enhance traffic safety beyond the capabilities of earlier vehicles. Vehicle technologies have progressed from basic assistance systems to higher levels of automation, including services like robotaxis. As these technologies continue to develop, it is essential to understand how drivers’ perceptions and attitudes toward these systems are evolving. Examining these trends can help us understand whether drivers are willing to adopt new vehicle technologies and what barriers may limit adoption, which in turn can inform future vehicle technology development. This research brief examines national trends (2019 to 2025) in adoption preferences, perceived safety, trust, METHOD and concerns related to different levels of vehicle automation, as well as perceived comfort with various modes of transportation equipped with full automation (i.e., Level 5). The results show that over time, drivers increasingly preferred more assistive technology (e.g., Level 2), perceived it as safer, trusted it more, and had fewer concerns.