UAE residents are confident in the prospect of riding in an autonomous or self-driving vehicle where there is no human driver.
According to the fifth edition of 3M’s 2022 State of Science Index (SOSI), 89 percent people in the UAE are comfortable with the idea of being in autonomous cars.
The study also revealed that 88 percent of residents in the UAE trust scientists. Additionally, 37 percent of people completely agree that they defend science when it is questioned (vs 23 percent global average). It also highlighted that a majority of people (76 percent) agreed on the importance of science in their everyday life (vs. 52 percent global average).
The 3M research also found that today, science is more relevant to people in the UAE than a year ago, as three-quarters (76 percent) agree that it is essential to them in their everyday life versus 68 percent in 2021.
In addition, 92 percent of people surveyed in the UAE want to hear more from scientists about their work – a clear opportunity for more scientists to communicate directly on news and social media platforms.
Science as key to sustainability
Regarding the environment and sustainability, more than nine in 10 (92 percent) people in the UAE believe in the need to adopt a scientific approach to help make the world more sustainable.
The study also showed that the immediacy of the climate crisis is becoming more apparent, with 79 percent of people in the UAE expressing their concerns about climate change as a critical environmental issue.
“It is promising to see the deep trust held in science and technology in the UAE. The nation’s leadership has successfully placed science, technology, and sustainability at the core of its transition to a knowledge-based economy with wide support from its citizens and residents. With a firm belief in the power of science and its commitment to global climate change, the United Arab Emirates is well placed to host next year’s COP28 UN Climate Change Conference,” said Laszlo Svinger, Vice-President and Managing Director MEA, 3M.
An eye for innovation
The 3M UAE is a testbed for futuristic technologies and has built strong public confidence in its scientific initiatives, with 91 percent of the people believing that they will depend more on scientific knowledge in the future.
“The UAE is a pioneer in AI, automation, and self-driving vehicles. With these technologies set to revolutionise how we live, work and travel in the coming decades, there is no doubt that the UAE will be at the forefront of developing and rolling out these technologies worldwide while becoming a leading center of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” added Svinger.
