One in five Americans say they would be open to wearing Apple’s new augmented reality (AR) headset while driving a self-driving vehicle – with Generation X most willing to take the risk.
That’s according to the recent “Eyes on the Road” survey of Americans by Risk Strategies firm JW Surety Bonds.
Even more (or less) surprising, depending on how you view the Generation A through Z rivalry, it turns out the younger Generation Z is not as daring, with most unwilling to don AR goggles while using a self-driving vehicle.
The survey itself came about after the February 2nd release of the Apple Vision Pro, which was immediately followed by a spate of videos appearing on social media showing people using the virtual reality headset in all kinds of everyday scenarios, including while driving.
One particular viral video showing a driver wearing an Apple Vision Pro while driving a Tesla Cybertruck on the highway, quickly racked up over 24 million views.
The clip even got the attention of the US government officials, who felt alarmed enough to post public safety warnings about the dangerous stunt.
Even with the media splash, shockingly 70% of those surveyed were unaware that driving while wearing an Apple Vision Pro was even a thing.
“The automotive industry is entering a groundbreaking phase as companies explore ways to incorporate virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies into vehicles,” said JW Surety Bonds Chief Marketing Officer Eric Weisbrot.
Weisbrot points out that these innovations are intended for passengers, not drivers.
“This distinction is important because there is growing alarm about people using the new Apple Vision Pro while driving,” he said.
Safety concerns on the rise
Nearly two thirds of survey participants said they are extremely concerned about the safety implications of self-driving car users wearing the headset while on the road.
Baby boomers were reported to be the most concerned about the safety implications, while strangely, Gen Zers were the least concerned, even after most said they wouldn’t take the risk of driving while wearing one themselves.
Baby boomers were also reported to be the most concerned about clear legislation and guidelines….as were 80% of the Americans surveyed.
American truck drivers were additionally polled for the survey, showing 25% of them open to wearing an Apple headset while driving a self-driving vehicle.
While the same number of truck drivers (60%) were concerned about safety implications, another 5% of truckers said they had already witnessed someone wearing the Apple Vision Pro while behind the wheel of a self-driving car – some of them close encounters.
Distracted driving is considered one of the most dangerous driving behaviors, besides speeding and driving under the influence.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), over 1,000 Americans are injured in a distracted driving crash each day, causing more than 3000 deaths every year.
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