Deloitte has updated its research into consumer attitudes to urban air mobility (UAM), and the bottom line is that the industry has a ways to go in convincing the public that the concept has a viable future. The results are mixed but overall survey respondents came out at around 50/50 on the following key questions: is UAM a viable solution to roadway congestion and are passenger-carrying, autonomous aircraft safe?

The study provides some significant insights into differences in consumer attitudes among various demographics. Deloitte surveyed consumers in the U.S., France, Australia, the UK, Canada, Japan, and China. One eye-catching takeaway is that Chinese respondents showed themselves to be markedly more accepting of UAM than Americans. Both have been identified as key markets by eVTOL aircraft developers.

Perhaps less surprising is the finding that younger people are more likely to be early UAM adopters than older people. The survey results highlighted generation Y and Z respondents as being far more willing to embrace the concept than baby boomers.