Today, drivers can use technology that enables forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking and other advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
But while such technologies are now becoming standard, many drivers are confused about them and can misuse this technology, with potentially fatal results.
Study investigates misconceptions over ADAS
A new study from the University of Iowa, commissioned by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, has revealed that ADAS technology may deter 40 per cent of vehicle crashes as well as nearly 30 per cent of deaths in traffic. However, education, proper use and driver understanding are vital in making the most of such systems, the study concluded.
Findings of the study
Almost 80 per cent of drivers using blind spot monitoring systems incorrectly believed the systems could reliably detect pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles going by at high speeds. In fact, the technology can monitor only vehicles that are travelling in the driver’s blind spot.
Nearly 40 per cent of drivers didn’t know the limitations of automatic emergency braking systems and forward collision warning, or confused the two. Some incorrectly thought that forward collision warning applies the brakes in the event of an emergency.
About 25 per cent of people using rear cross traffic alert systems or blind spot monitoring reported feeling comfortable using the systems alone and not performing visual checks.
About 33 per cent of vehicle owners with automatic emergency braking systems failed to realise that the system was reliant on cameras or sensors that could be blocked by ice, dirt or snow.
The study concluded that new technology makes driving safer, but doesn’t replace the significant role that drivers play.
The technology’s safety aspects are explained here: https://www.whatcar.com/news/car-safety-technology-how-it-could-save-your-life/n16650.
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Stay safe behind the wheel
The AAA recommends the following:
– Read the owner’s manual to see how the in-car safety systems work.
– Ask for a test drive and systems demonstration to experience the systems on the road.
– Ask questions about the functions and capabilities of the technology before you leave the dealership, for example if a technology may sometimes not work adequately on the road.
