Nearly half of consumers would be interested in buying a car from a tech giant such as Apple or Google.

This is despite their being satisfied with their current brand and Apple not even having revealed whether it is developing such a car.

These findings are part of Capgemini’s ‘Cars Online’ report, a survey of more than 7,500 consumers across seven countries, released this afternoon.

It reveals:

• Autonomous cars are eagerly anticipated, with 79% of consumers interested
• 26% of customers in the UK are open to switching from their current car brand if a high tech company such as Apple or Google released a car
• Desire for connected and autonomous cars is tempered by the threat of cyber-attack - with 38% of consumers saying these are a reason not to use one - and data privacy, with nearly half (45%) of consumers having concerns.

And for dealers and established OEMs looking to maintain their position in the face of this growing threat, there is currently a lack of coordination and cooperation that would deliver a more personalized experience that customers are demanding.

This represents a significant opportunity, for those forging stronger partnerships and sharing data in a transparent way to improve the customer experience, in order to gain a competitive edge and retain loyalty, the report says.