CNBC: Tesla`s Autopilot Feature Deters Potential EV Buyers
Tesla`s autonomous driving feature is not attracting, but rather deterring, potential electric vehicle purchasers. This information comes from a study by Slingshot Strategies, as reported by CNBC.
Specialists surveyed 8,000 Americans about their attitudes toward Tesla`s self-driving technologies. Only 14 percent of respondents stated that the presence of the Autopilot function in Tesla EVs increased their likelihood of purchase. Conversely, a significant 35 percent cited the Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology as a reason they would not want to acquire a vehicle from Elon Musk`s company.
“The decline in the company`s brand reputation this year is striking,” noted Evan Roth Smith, head of research at Slingshot Strategies. According to Smith, autonomous technologies were expected to attract new consumers but have, in fact, significantly damaged the automotive brand`s reputation. The study also indicated that nearly half of those surveyed demanded that Tesla`s Autopilot be banned.
CNBC journalists observed that the American tech giant appears to be doing little to enhance its appeal to consumers. The company`s concerning performance metrics have coincided with actions by its CEO, Elon Musk, which many Americans consider controversial. These include Musk`s provocative political statements, his collaboration with the US presidential administration, and his support for Germany`s `Alternative for Germany` party.
In late July, American researchers concluded that the reputation of Tesla CEO Elon Musk is harming the entire electric transport industry. The authors of that report identified a consistent link between Musk`s political statements and a decrease in consumer interest in electric vehicles.
Rupert Blackwood 
Barnaby Whitfield