Learning to live with robots

Waymo recently shared traffic incident data for the 22 million miles that Waymo vehicles have driven autonomously. Their data strongly supports the argument that autonomous vehicles are safer than human-driven vehicles, and other studies back this up.

Yet, despite these facts, consumer confidence in autonomous vehicles remains low and is in decline. This skepticism extends beyond cars to other autonomous technologies, humanoid robots being the most prominent example.

The reality is that autonomous machines, in various forms and abilities, have been quietly reshaping industries and our lives for decades – examples include metro trains, warehouse robots, heavy construction vehicles, and industrial safety inspections. Many more impactful applications such as air cargo, wildfire mitigation, and commercial agriculture are on the horizon, all aiming to alleviate the global labor shortage and create a positive impact on society.

We’re at a point where autonomous machines often outperform humans, not just in terms of cost-effectiveness but also in reliability and safety. So why the consumer skepticism?

I believe it boils down to the mismatch between perception and reality. When consumers don’t have experience with a new technology, their perception is often influenced by media coverage of negative consequences of said technology. In addition, humans by nature like to be in control, and handing over control to machines can induce doubt and anxiety. 

So, how do we bridge this gap between consumer perceptions and reality in order to increase acceptance of autonomous machines?

• Transparent brands – Transparency is essential to building trust. It only takes one brand’s lack of transparency to create consumer distrust in an entire segment. Transparency is built through public data sharing, proactive communication, and community engagement.
• Designing for empathy – Autonomous machines are inherently a new experience that impacts not just the direct user but also others that exist within its operating environment. Empathy-driven design helps to ensure all stakeholder needs and concerns are addressed in the entire product experience.
• Regulatory frameworks – Consumers need to feel confident about what robots are able and allowed to do. Industry players should proactively engage with government and regulatory bodies to establish clear and reasonable regulations and standards. We see this playing out in the AI space where industry leaders are encouraging regulation.

We tend to overestimate the change that can happen in a year and underestimate what can happen in ten years. Autonomous machines are no exception; the hype and fear surrounding these technologies often distort the reality of their steady progress and integration into our lives. The question is not if and when these machines will play a key part of our future society, it’s about how we will adapt to them. It’s time we learn to live with robots.