Autonomous cars 'will lead to more binge drinking', study finds

The rise in the number of self-driving cars will lead to more binge drinking as people stop worrying about having to drive home from a pub or club, a study claims. Researchers from Curtin University, Australia, say if a group don't need to assign a designated driver due to having an autonomous car, they will likely drink more. The team found that more than a third of adults would increase the amount they usually drink if they could rely on a driverless car to get them home. Lead author Leon Booth said driverless cars would cut drink-driving rates but increase the amount of alcohol drunk by the population. The rise in the number of self-driving cars will lead to more binge drinking as people stop worrying about having to drive home from a pub or club, a study claims.