*By Amanda Weston* If forced to choose between putting their child in driverless car or in a vehicle driven by a stranger, the majority of parents, Ford reports, would prefer a non-human to take the wheel. "When we talk about trust, that's somewhere where we see something really jumping out at us," Sheryl Connelly, futurist at Ford ($F), told Cheddar Monday. "67 percent of the people we spoke to in our survey said they would rather their child ride in a self-driving vehicle than be in a vehicle with a stranger. And I think that's really powerful." That statistic is just one of many compiled in the seventh annual Further With Ford [trend report](https://social.ford.com/en_US/ford-community/ford-trends.html?fmccmp=link-fordtrends-home-none-fs-top-none-170615). The report amassed the opinions of survey respondents from around the world. The report shows that 43 percent of adults in the U.S. believe self-driving cars will drive more safely than humans at the wheel. Another part of the global survey looked at generational perspectives on the new technology: 72 percent of millennials said one of the biggest benefits of self-driving tech is the luxury of having more free time, compared to just 51 percent of baby boomers. Gen X and Gen Z came in at 64 percent and 71 percent, respectively. With self-driving at the forefront, Ford may already be building a solid reputation. Connelly said research shows if a group of self-driving cars pulled up to the curb, most people would choose the Ford model. "We think that has a lot to do with our legacy of trust and transparency," Connelly said. **Here are some of the other takeaways from the report:** * 87 percent of American adults think that technology is the biggest driver of today’s change. * 44 percent of women and 37 percent of men are afraid of Artificial Intelligence technology. * 42 percent of millennials and 43 percent of Gen Z believe that their phone/device knows more about them than their family. * More than 75 percent of adults worldwide think that companies don’t do enough to accommodate the needs of working parents. * 84 percent of adults agree companies should offer mental health days as part of their benefits. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/ford-compiles-latest-trends-in-work-life-self-driving-car-trust-and-more).

Share:
More In Business
FBI’s NBA probe puts sports betting businesses in the spotlight
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
Tesla’s profit fell in third quarter even as sales rose
Tesla, the car company run by Elon Musk, reported Wednesday that it sold more vehicles in the past three months after boycotts hit hard earlier this year, but profits still fell sharply. Third-quarter earnings fell to $1.4 billion, from $2.2 billion a year earlier. Excluding charges, per share profit of 50 cents came in below analysts' estimate. Tesla shares fell 3.5% in after-hours trading. Musk said the company's robotaxi service, which is available in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco, will roll out to as many as 10 other metro areas by the end of the year.
Load More