Drivers are facing rapidly changing technology in our vehicles that are steps toward autonomous vehicles that will drive themselves, without requiring participation from the driver. But do drivers really want as much technology as possible or do they still want hands-on control of their vehicle?

To help answer this question, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) researchers conducted a nationwide survey of more than 1,000 drivers that focused on three common features: lane centering, automated lane changing and driver monitoring.

Most partial automation systems are designed to assist with highway driving. Lane centering continuously adjusts the steering to keep the vehicle in the middle of the travel lane, while adaptive cruise control manages the vehicle’s speed and distance from vehicles ahead. Some systems also have an automated lane changing feature, which enables the vehicle to change lanes without the driver needing to steer.

The IIHS survey showed that consumer interest in these technologies is strong, but drivers appear to prefer partially automated features that require them to stay engaged in driving, according to Alexandra Mueller, the survey’s primary designer.

For example, lane centering and automated lane changing come in “hands-free” versions that allow drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel under certain conditions and “hands-on” versions that require their hands always be on the wheel. More drivers said they would prefer the hands-on version of the features.

Similarly, some versions of automated lane changing give the driver more control than others. With driver-initiated versions, the driver must physically trigger each lane change. With vehicle-initiated versions, the vehicle software determines when to initiate lane changes on its own and does not require the driver to do anything to begin the maneuver. Drivers overwhelmingly preferred the feature to be driver-initiated, according to the IIHS survey.

The survey also showed a high level of acceptance of several types of driver monitoring, a fundamental component of the safeguard ratings that IIHS is developing for partial automation systems. Regardless of whether the feature in question allowed hands-free operation or required the driver’s hands to remain on the wheel, most drivers said they would be comfortable with all three driver-monitoring strategies covered in the survey — sensors on the steering wheel, a camera tracking what the driver is doing with their hands, or a camera aimed at their face tracking where they are looking.

“The drivers who were the most comfortable with all types of driver monitoring tended to say they would feel safer knowing that the vehicle was monitoring them to ensure they were using the feature properly,” says Mueller. “That suggests that communicating the safety rationale for monitoring may help to ease consumers’ concerns about privacy or other objections.”

So how do you feel as a driver — would you want as much automation as possible or do you still want to be in control with hands-on driving? According to Mueller, it appears that partially automated features that require the driver’s hands to be on the wheel are closer to one-size-fits-all than hands-free designs.