New data from Juniper Research (www.juniperresearch.com) finds that by the end of 2026, there will be over 50 million autonomous vehicles on the road, with over 10 million in the U.S. and 15 million in the Far East and China. In comparison, the global market will account for 1.5 billion vehicles on the road during the same year.
The research group found that a confluence of societal shifts, smart city mobility schemes and technology infrastructure will kickstart autonomous vehicle sales. These include softening demand for vehicle ownership driven by the emergence of concepts such as Mobility-as-a-Service, driving safety benefits and establishment of underlying V2X (vehicle-to-anything) communications.
Juniper evaluated 20 countries according to their readiness for autonomous vehicles, analyzing nations’ enthusiasm for autonomous vehicles and the likelihood of autonomous vehicles operating in the country. It considered regulatory policies, trials in operation, digital and city infrastructure in place and the participation of local technology firms and organizations. Leading nations in the report are: the U.S., Singapore, Japan, United Kingdom, South Korea, Netherlands, Malaysia, India, China, and France.
“The US has all the key ingredients for autonomous vehicles to operate at scale. Federal and local authorities supporting AV trials, Silicon Valley and universities spawn firms that can deliver the technology, many local competitors are introducing driverless technologies plus the car remains vital for commuting and leisure travel,” says research author Michael Larner.
