Convenience or Complexity? The Truth of Advanced Vehicle Systems

The image was authored by Microsoft Copiliot.

As you take the test drive, you might feel overwhelmed by the number of features being explained—speed adjustment, automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, curve adaptation, lane centering, and traffic monitoring assistance—all intended to improve safety and convenience. But with so many controls, you may wonder if having more features leads to a more comfortable and safer driving experience.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) like Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) are designed to prevent or reduce the severity of crashes and create an easier driving experience, but they can also add complexity and confusion. When you are still figuring out basics like adjusting the air conditioning or radio, it may feel like these technologies create a new layer of distraction rather than relief. You may even wonder if these features will ever feel intuitive and enhance rather than detract from your driving experience.

A recent study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) found that more partial automation systems in vehicles, like ACC, offer little evidence of crash prevention benefits, while AEB systems have proven to reduce crash rates slightly. The IIHS and HLDI tested BMW and Nissan vehicles equipped with partial automation to confirm that the benefits are marginal across the vehicular market, even on highways and high-speed roads where these systems are more likely to be engaged. The study concluded that we should not equate partial automation with enhanced safety. ADAS systems, like lane-centering, may feel more convenient for drivers but do not necessarily enhance the vehicle’s safety.

Visit our website to learn more about how human factors can play a role in how drivers utilize ADAS systems.

CED’s Transportation Group of engineers is well-equipped to accurately analyze vehicular crashes, particularly those involving technological advancements in vehicular systems and human factors. With extensive training and expertise, our team can recover and thoroughly analyze vehicle data, which is?critical in determining the cause of an accident.

?