Monthly Archives: March 2019

Most consumers not ready for driverless cars, and confused by jargon

Although consumers are considerably more receptive to having semi-autonomous features on their cars than they were, the thought of a fully-autonomous car still puts the majority of people off, according to Auto Trader research.

Eight in ten people would be wary of using a car without a human driver
A third of consumers have a semi-autonomous feature in their cars
The jargon and over-use of acronyms is a source of confusion

Car manufacturers and governments might be putting significant amounts of money into developing fully-autonomous cars, but the majority of consumers are still not sold on the idea, and are still confused about the jargon and acronyms manufacturers use when talking about semi-autonomous features on cars.

This is according to Auto Trader’s latest Market Report, which shows that eight in ten people would be wary of using a car (84%), taxi (83%) or bus (82%) without the safety net of a human driver.

When asked in the research as to whether they’d use a self-driving car they couldn’t take control of, nearly half (48%) said they ‘absolutely wouldn’t use this vehicle’.

However, it’s perhaps not surprising: if for many drivers the switch from fossil to electric is a leap of faith, it is at least a leap into widely tried and tested technology. The transition to self-driving cars is a leap into science fiction.
A different story for semi-autonomous cars

Although the appetite for fully autonomous cars might not be there yet, the story is different for semi-autonomous features. In March 2017, 49% of consumers claimed not to be interested in fully autonomous technology and 17% said semi-autonomous wouldn’t be available in their lifetime.

However, today, 31% of consumers say they have at least one semi-autonomous feature in their car, and 78% said they used it regularly.

More than half (51%) said autonomous features would make them more likely to buy from the same brand again, and 80% are willing to pay extra for them in their next car.
Simplify, simplify, simplify

It’s not all plain sailing, though. For consumers, the language used when talking about semi-autonomous features on cars is still very confusing. Most manufacturers have their own ways of defining systems, with complicated acronyms or marketing jargon.

For example, autonomous emergency braking systems are being seen more frequently on cars. The systems can do anything from warning a driver about an impending bump, to slamming the brakes on automatically to avoid a crash, or helping to prevent further bumps after an initial crash.

However, manufacturers call the systems anything from Forward Collision Warning, to Audi Pre-Sense Front, Automatic Collision Preparation, Collision Mitigation Braking, Intelligent Brake Assist, Advanced Pre-Collision System, Smart Brake Support, Eyesight, City Safety, and plenty of other things. Confusing, right?

When presented with the various manufacturer brand names for semi-autonomous features, the majority of car buyers in Auto Trader’s research understandably miscategorised its function, or failed to appreciate its capabilities. That shows that manufacturers need to improve the way they talk to consumers about such technology and simplify the language they use when doing so, focusing instead on the tangible benefits: how much safer it will make their car, how easy it is to use, etc. Indeed, just 35% of car buyers whose car has semi-autonomous features said they were clearly explained to them during the sales process, and only a third received a demonstration.

Story courtesy of Auto Trader https://www.autotrader.co.uk/content/news/most-consumers-not-ready-for-driverless-cars-and-confused-by-jargon

Nisa Retail First In The UK To Benefit From New Pallet Tracking Technology

Nisa Retail, the national retailer and groceries wholesaler, is looking to significantly reduce costs associated with supply chain challenges, by being the UK’s first company to use a new pallet-tracking technology offered by CHEP, the end to end supply chain specialist in the FMCG and retail marketplace.
CHEP’s digital tracking solution has been offered in partnership with BXB Digital, a sister company in the Brambles family. Nisa, which serves around 4,000 independently owned stores across the UK and distributes daily around 220,000 ambient cases and has been a customer of CHEP for over 5 years. The long-standing relationship has allowed CHEP to support Nisa’s longer term digital vision through the implementation of this technology.
The Flow Illumination digital tracking solution delivered Nisa data and intelligence on the movement of pallets which enabled them to improve processes and reduce costs and inefficiencies. This digital solution development is part of an investment over the last three years by Brambles, which has been focussed on developing and driving efficiencies for its business and its customers. Launched in 2016, BXB Digital is building solutions that illuminate the supply chain and deliver visibility into the movement of goods and assets with seamlessly integrated digital devices and cloud-based software.
Nigel Mitcheson, Facilities Manager at Nisa, commented: “The technology is helping us to be more efficient and sustainable when it comes to using pallets for our distribution requirements. It’s also helping us to make significant cost savings, by enabling Nisa to improve delivery accuracy when servicing Nisa Partners.
“The technology helps reduce this risk by allowing us to trace pallets from when they leave the depot to when they reach their final destination, so we can prove orders have been delivered.
Helen Lane, Vice President for Northern Europe at CHEP, said: “Our new digital tracking technology allows customers to pinpoint inefficiencies, reduce waste and conserve resources when it comes to the use of pallets. This pilot project is the first of its kind for CHEP UK, and using this collaboration with Nisa as a blueprint, we hope to partner with other companies in the future who wish to innovate with us.
“It’s part of a major investment programme by the business to help our customers move more with less
Source: Nisa Retail First In The UK To Benefit From New Pallet Tracking Technology