A group that advocates on behalf of adults 45 and over believes that seniors are going to love autonomous vehicles.
Wanda Morris, the vice president of CARP, formerly the Canadian Association of Retired Persons, says driverless vehicles will eventually restore their mobility, independence and dignity. Morris admits there's still much work to do but says autonomous cars will be tremendous for the elderly and feels that more and more seniors will embrace them over time.
"Seniors are losing their mobility, losing their ability to be out there and are really looking for ways to maintain their autonomy and to stay at home. If we can offer that in a way that isn't stigmatized, then I think there will be fantastic takeup," she says.
Morris says many people have difficulty facing the fact that they're getting older and are often reluctant to get hearing tests or don't use a walker or cane to get around. She says self-driving vehicles should help all seniors enjoy their freedom longer and could become a mobility solution for those who have lost their licences for health reasons.
Morris says driverless cars should help seniors improve their dignity, confidence and freedom because they may be able to keep their driver's licences longer.
"We know that when people lose their licences, they are at risk for social isolation and depression and often losing a licence can be a factor in a senior going into decline," Morris says.
She sees autonomous cars being embraced by seniors like social media and tablets were and says they should make their lives better.
"There's more grandparents than teenagers on Facebook. When seniors get a hold of something they can really make it big and the larger iPads are becoming increasingly prevalent among our membership," says Morris.