Daimler CEO: Boeing's Safety Debate Highlights the Challenge of Stand-Alone Technologies

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Daimler chief executive Dieter Zetsche said on Tuesday that the debate over Boeing's aircraft safety shows how difficult it can be for the public to accept autonomous car technology.

"What is very important is the psychological dimension. If you look at what is happening at Boeing, you can imagine what happens when such a system is a victim of an incident, "said Zetsche, commenting on the auto industry's efforts to develop autonomous cars.

In the aftermath of two aircraft accidents, regulators around the world have stopped the 737 MAX aircraft while waiting for an investigation to be conducted to determine whether the automated flight control system based on flight control software Boeing is safe.

The automotive industry should set up autonomous systems in stages, to better accept complex automotive technology but likely to improve safety, Zetsche said.

"Even though autonomous cars are 10 times safer than those driven by humans, it takes a dramatic incident to make it much more difficult to obtain widespread acceptance," Zetsche said.

Zetsche added that Daimler was considering introducing fuel cells to power buses and electric trucks.