New research has found that 55% of adults aged 70 and over who can still drive, worry about the day they’ll no longer be able to take to the road
Nissan: 93-year-old man has a go in self-driving car
According to recent research, over half of adults aged 70 and older who are still driving have expressed concerns about the day they will no longer be able to do so. Additionally, two-thirds are determined not to rely on others for transportation.
In the study commissioned by Nissan, one in five elderly individuals said they would consider riding in a self-driving car if it helped them maintain their independence.
Brad Ashton, a 93 year old retired comedy script writer who has penned scripts for the likes of Groucho Marx, Tommy Cooper, and Les Dawson, was given the opportunity to test-drive one of Nissan’s self-driving cars around the village of Cranfield, Bedfordshire.
Brad, who has been driving since 1947 and currently drives a Nissan Micra, took an exclusive 30-minute spin in the autonomous LEAF model around the local narrow country lanes.
Reflecting on the experience, he said: “New technology like this is fantastic and it’s important to embrace it. Cars were different back in 1947 you had to crank them up so I’ve always wondered what the cars of the future would be like and this is it.”
He expressed pride at being the first older person to try it out, adding, “I thought I would feel frightened or worried but felt safe and relaxed throughout the experience.”
Brad, emphasised the importance of driving: “being independent and still being able to drive is really important to me.”
He uses his car to care for his wife Valerie, whom he married in 1961, and can’t use the bus service, which Brad said is also poor quality.
This sentiment is shared by many, especially those living in rural areas, with 36% feeling socially isolated as they no longer drive.
In contrast, only 9% of non-drivers in cities feel the same way, likely due to better public transport options. Interestingly, 10% of those surveyed expressed excitement at the prospect of self-driving cars becoming a reality in the UK.
when asked how they would feel about riding in an autonomous vehicle, 64% admitted they would be nervous, while 24% were intrigued and 12% would be amazed.
These findings come as part of an eight-year research project called evolvAD, which has seen over 16,000 miles driven autonomously across the UK’s motorways, urban centres, residential streets and countryside without any accidents.
David Moss, senior vice president of research and development at Nissan, which led the project with four industry partners, said: “Our research shows many elderly people feel socially isolated because they don’t drive – and older drivers worry about losing their independence if they can no longer take to the wheel themselves.
“As well as making driving safer by reducing human error, and cleaner by improving efficiency, this technology will give many more people access to mobility who may not have it due to location, age or disability.
“It has been a privilege working with our dedicated partners to advance autonomous driving mobility.
“Our talented UK team at Nissan Technical Centre Europe in Cranfield will continue developing this technology, and we’re excited to bring autonomous driver services to customers in the coming years.”
Brad added: “One thing though – it’d be great if the driverless cars of the future could find you a parking space.”
