The Wheel Thing: Self-driving cars give most Americans the willies

The Wheel Thing: Self-driving cars give most Americans the willies

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GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - MARCH 03: A Rinspeed Budii autonomous car concept is shown during the 85th International Motor Show on March 3, 2015 in Geneva, Switzerland. The 85th International Motor Show held from the 5th to 15th March 2015 will showcase novelties of the car industry. (Photo by Harold Cunningham/Getty Images); Credit: Harold Cunningham/Getty Images

A full three-quarters of American drivers surveyed by AAA say the idea of riding in a self-driving car makes them uncomfortable.

But owners of cars that have semi-autonomous features, such as lane keeping assist or adaptive cruise control are much more likely to express interest in fully autonomous cars.

The survey found many people reject driver-assist features because they trust their own driving skills more than the technology. People also cited cost, and the fact that such gizmos can be annoying as reasons for not wanting them on their vehicles.

The study also looked at cars that offer self-parking systems and found they were, in fact, much better than human drivers as placing a car in a parallel spot, hitting the curb about 80% less often than people behind the wheel.