The research was carried out by LeasePlan and found that those questioned in the UK were the fourth most comfortable with being a passenger in a driverless car (78%) after Denmark (83%), the Netherlands (83%) and Germany (81%).

The data, collected between 22 June and 27 July 2015, was gleaned from 3,859 respondents across Europe, Australia, the USA and India. Overall, 57% of those surveyed would try being a passenger in a driverless vehicle, despite feeling slightly nervous. A further 14%, predominantly male, would have absolutely no problem at all.

A total of 16% of UK respondents were completely fine with being a passenger and 62% said they would feel nervous but still try it.

Greece saw the lowest amount of respondents willing to try, with just 51% saying they would feel comfortable.

Lesley Slater, business development director, LeasePlan UK, commented: “It’s encouraging to see that in comparison to the global average, we (UK) are more likely to embrace this technology. With plans in place to test bed in Greenwich, London and other projects being given the green light in Coventry and Bristol this new technology, which was once seen as futuristic, is now looking a little nearer reality.”