It’s obvious that all the driver-assistance systems present in our vehicles today help avoid many accidents and, by extension, save lives. It’s also obvious that some ADAS aids can be annoying, even aggravating. Take for example those audible alerts when touching a line on the road. No really, please take them.
According to a recent study conducted by researchers from American universities, as well as institutions in Hong Kong, some systems encourage risky behaviours and even more dangerous driving.
Those conducting the study relied on telematics data from a manufacturer (which was not identified). That automaker gave them access to all sorts of information, including driver characteristics such as age and gender. The safety features were classified into two categories: less urgent warnings and very urgent ones. For example, a blind spot alert falls into the first category, while a collision warning falls into the second.
Less urgent systems
The results showed that these systems led to a 6.8-percent reduction in hard braking events compared to data collected from vehicles not equipped with the systems. Proof that something like a blind spot alert is effective and makes driving safer.
Urgent systems
For the more urgent systems, however, it was discovered that vehicles with these safety tools saw an increase in hard braking situations by 5.7 percent. Basically, the study concluded that motorists, feeling safer because of the protection system, are more passive and rely on the system to get them out of trouble.
Conversely, the less urgent systems encourage drivers to be more careful and less reckless.
In total, the results from 195,743 vehicles were compiled. A sample that large adds weight to the results.
Gender differences
Another interesting fact, the study revealed a difference in how men and women react. The latter learn more quickly than men to react reflexively to the informational messages from driver-assistance systems, whereas men adopt riskier behaviour.
Effective nonetheless
The study did include in its conclusion the finding that despite the difference in driver behaviour depending on the type of assistance, the accident rates of cars equipped with safety systems were 15-percent lower; blind spot systems reduced accidents by 19 percent.
Safety systems aren’t and probably will never be perfect, and we will continue to critique them to help bring about continued improvements. And there’s a very good reason to do that: They help reduce the risk of accidents and ultimately save lives.