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Many Drivers Don’t Appreciate Limitations of Driver Assistance Technologies

9/28/18

By: Wes Jackson
Pump the breaks, George Jetson! While car technology is quickly advancing towards autonomous vehicles, we aren’t there yet. Even so, a recent study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety suggests many drivers overestimate the abilities of new driver assistance technologies, which could lead to unsafe driving habits.
The study examined drivers’ attitudes toward and interactions with “advanced driver assistance systems,” or ADAS. Anyone who has recently purchased a new car is likely familiar with many of the latest ADAS technologies such as forward collision warning, automatic emergency breaking, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control.
While the study found that most drivers trusted and used these ADAS features, it also revealed that most drivers do not appreciate their limitations. For example, only 21% of owners of vehicles with blind spot monitoring knew that such systems could not detect vehicles passing at a high rate of speed. Similarly, only a third of owners of vehicles with automatic breaking systems knew the systems relied on cameras and sensors that could be compromised by dirt or other debris.
What’s worse, some drivers with ADAS systems admitted to adopting unsafe driving habits in response to the new technologies. For instance, 29% of respondents to the study reported feeling comfortable engaging in other activities while using adaptive cruise control. Similarly, 30% of respondents admitted to relying exclusively on their blind spot monitoring system without checking their blind spots, and 25% of respondents admitted to backing up without looking over their shoulder when using a rear cross-traffic alert system.
These new ADAS technologies can certainly help motorists driver more safely. However, drivers should not succumb to the illusion that these new technologies made alert driving a thing of the past. Until we’re all flying around in autonomous space-age vehicles, be sure to keep your eyes on the road and always look twice before backing up or changing lanes.
The Transportation Law Team at Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP is on the cutting edge of autonomous vehicle issues. If you have any questions about the AAA Foundation’s report or issues concerning autonomous vehicles, please contact Wes Jackson at wjackson@fmglaw.com.