In preparation for the first year's eSafety Challenge event which took place 8/9 September 2009 in Rome, eSafetyAware has launched a new market study looking at car user's awareness and acceptance of eSafety technologies. The quantitative study included 1000 respondents from five European countries: France, Germany, Italy, Poland and UK and looked at car users' knowledge about eSafety technologies, their attitude towards these systems as well as the purchase patterns and decision factors when buying a new car.
The study reveals a number of important aspects:
- The general awareness of eSafety systems is still low, ranging from 56% for Speed Alert systems down to 35% each for Lane Support systems and Blind Spot Monitoring. Electronic Stability Control reached 51%, and Warning and Emergency Braking 45%.
- Women consistently score lower than men in awareness of such devices, as much as 50% for some systems - though women place safety as their number one priority when buying a car.
- Women play an important role in the decision making process with 7 out of 10 being involved in the car purchase decisions. The general trend is a purchase with responsibility shared between partners, rather than one party acting alone.
- People are on average 30% more likely to choose eSafety systems when aware of them and would be willing to pay more to have these systems fitted.
- Consumers rely heavily on car dealerships to get information when considering purchasing a vehicle.
- The importance of online information is increasing, as it is the care in Poland. Especially younger target groups can be reached by internet. Men are more affine to this information channel than women. Social contacts like family and friends play an important role for women when searching for information or recommendation.
Following the study results, eSafetyAware President Mr. Jean Todt has said:
“Far too many motoring consumers are still unaware of the life-saving potential of eSafety systems. For those of us who know about these technologies, and their potential to save lives, the choice is very straightforward. It is clear that the entire automotive sector has a responsibility to raise awareness of these systems and to ensure they are introduced to as many vehicles as possible.”
In response to the study's findings regarding women, German Touring Car driver Susie Stoddart said:
“As a racing driver I’ve always known that I probably knew more than the average driver about cars, but I’ve really been surprised to learn how poor every day driver´s awareness of eSafety is and unfortunately lady drivers are no exception. It is especially shocking when you consider how concerned we are about safety. We must act to ensure that these technologies become common knowledge for women and men alike so that they can make informed and safe choices when they buy their car.”
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