Automated parking has come out top in a survey of which future van technologies drivers would like to see introduced, with respondents showing less support for fully driverless systems.
The research by Gocompare.com Van Insurance found one in five (19%) van drivers would welcome automated parking tech, making it the most popular option, with head-up displays coming in second at 15%.
Yet drivers were torn over driverless functionality. 12% said that they thought it would be helpful but 11% rated it the highest for future technology likely to negatively affect their business, putting it in third place after head-up displays (18%) and in-car marketing (13%).
The survey also indicated general concerns with future technology, with one in 10 (11%) saying it might be a problem, of which 58% said that they thought it might make their own skills obsolete. And over 50% of respondents said they thought futuristic technology might provide a safety risk.
The next most worrisome factor for drivers was the potential for reliance on tech. Almost half (49%) said they thought the ease involved in using future van technology would make workers over-reliant on gadgets over their own skills.
But overall, the survey found optimism towards technology is high, with 82% of respondents being interested in at least one of the forms of technology on offer. 40% felt that their efficiency would be increased by the advancements, and a further 41% were interested in the improvements to their safety as a result of added resources.
Matt Oliver, from Gocompare.com Van Insurance, said: “Technology is designed in the hopes of making our lives easier, and while not all van drivers are looking forward to all potential advancements, there’s still a majority with a positive outlook towards the future of their vehicles, and of their industries as a result.”
