A recent study by Good Guys Injury Law evaluated public sentiment and safety records for both self-driving cars and traditional car brands using a data-driven approach. The study consists of three main components: sentiment analysis of self-driving cars, safety and sentiment rankings, and safety (lowest accident rate) and sentiment (highest positive sentiment). The overall score combines both rankings to determine the final order, prioritizing brands with high safety and strong public trust.
| Make | Positive Sentiment (%) | Safety Rank | Sentiment Rank | Overall Rank Score | Rank |
| Kia | 97.5 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| Tesla | 95.73 | 21 | 1 | 22 | 2 |
| Nissan | 93.2 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 3 |
| Volvo | 91.9 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 4 |
| Mercedes-Benz | 93.2 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 5 |
| Lexus | 98.8 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 6 |
| Land Rover | 87.3 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 7 |
| Hyundai | 92.9 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 8 |
| Ford | 45.45 | 1 | 18 | 19 | 9 |
| Audi | 93.5 | 16 | 4 | 20 | 10 |
To access the full research, visit here.
Kia ranks 1st with a 97.5% positive sentiment score. The Korean manufacturer achieved an impressive sentiment result, making it the second most positively perceived brand. Kia also performed exceptionally well in safety perceptions, securing the 4th position in safety rankings and demonstrating balanced strength across both key metrics.
Tesla ranks 2nd with a 95.7% positive sentiment. The electric vehicle pioneer secured the top position in sentiment rankings with strong consumer feedback. Despite its popularity, Tesla received the second-lowest safety rank (32) among the top brands, highlighting a significant disparity between consumer enthusiasm and safety concerns.
Nissan ranks 3rd with a 93.2% consumer approval. The Japanese automaker earned a strong sentiment rate and ranked 3rd in sentiment rankings. Nissan performed well in safety perceptions with a 6th place safety rank, showing consistent performance across both sentiment and safety metrics.
Volvo ranks 4th with a 91.9% positive sentiment. The Swedish manufacturer achieved the 3rd highest safety rank, significantly outperforming brands like Tesla and Audi in this category. Volvo has strong consumer trust in its self-driving technology development, yet its sentiment score falls slightly below leaders like Kia and Tesla, placing it 7th in sentiment rankings.
Mercedes-Benz ranks 5th with 93.2% positive consumer feedback. The German luxury brand received identical sentiment to Nissan, placing it 5th in sentiment rankings. Mercedes-Benz also ranked 5th in safety perceptions, showing consistent performance across both metrics.
Lexus comes in 6th with a 98.8% positive sentiment score. The luxury division of Toyota achieved the highest positive sentiment score of all brands, surpassing even top-ranked Kia. Despite this great sentiment performance, Lexus ranked 10th in safety perceptions, suggesting consumers highly appreciate the brand but have some reservations about its self-driving safety capabilities.
Land Rover takes the 7th spot with an 87.3% positive sentiment score. The British luxury SUV maker secured the second-highest safety rank among all brands, even outperforming safety-conscious Volvo. Its lower sentiment score placed it 9th in sentiment rankings, well below sentiment leaders like Lexus and Kia.
Hyundai ranks 8th with 92.9% consumer favorability. The Korean manufacturer achieved a strong sentiment result, placing it 6th in sentiment rankings. Hyundai’s 7th place safety rank, while respectable, couldn’t match Kia’s 4th position, placing it lower in the overall standings than its compatriot.
Ford follows in 9th with a 45.4% positive sentiment score. The American automotive giant received the lowest positive sentiment score, placing it 11th in sentiment rankings. Despite this sentiment challenge, Ford performed surprisingly well in safety rankings, securing the 5th position, comparable to Mercedes-Benz but still behind safety leaders Land Rover and Volvo.
Audi rounds out the top ten with a 93.5% favorable public opinion. The German luxury brand achieved a strong positive sentiment result, placing it 4th in sentiment rankings and slightly ahead of Mercedes-Benz. However, Audi’s lower safety ranking (16th) significantly affected its overall standing, particularly when compared to safety leaders like Land Rover and Volvo.
A spokesperson from Good Guys Injury Law commented on the study: “The contrast between brand perception and safety rankings highlights an important paradox in the self-driving car market. While luxury brands enjoy strong consumer enthusiasm, safety concerns remain a significant hurdle for widespread adoption. Brands with balanced performance across both metrics suggest that consumers are increasingly looking for reliability over innovation. The industry faces a critical challenge: bridging the gap between consumer excitement and legitimate safety concerns. The unusual positioning of some manufacturers—low sentiment yet high safety ranking—shows the communication challenges they face. Brands must not only develop reliable autonomous systems but also effectively communicate these safety advances to skeptical consumers who prioritize trustworthiness over technological novelty.”
