New driver-assistance technologies, like blind-spot monitoring and lane-departure warning systems, have the potential to keep drivers safer as long as motorists are aware of these system’s limitations.

In recent AAA tests, the systems performed effectively in many situations, but there were some instances where the systems didn’t meet expectations:

· Blind-spot monitoring systems had difficulty detecting fast-moving vehicles – such as when merging onto a busy highway. Alerts were often provided too late for evasive action.

· Motorcycles were detected by blind-spot monitoring systems 26 percent later than they identified passenger vehicles.

· Road conditions were often a problem for lane-departure warning systems. Worn pavement markers, construction zones and intersections can cause the lane-departure warning system to lose track of lane location.

· The litany of alerts and warnings could be confusing. Auditory, visual or touch-related responses – or a combination – could be similar to other advanced driver assistance features that deliver the same warnings.

As expected, AAA’s research, conducted with the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Automotive Research Center, found performance differences between test vehicles.

“Some blind-spot monitoring systems we tested had a short detection range, which meant that a vehicle was already in the blind spot before the alert came on,” says Megan McKernan, Manager of Automotive Engineering at the Automobile Club of Southern California. “The lane-departure warning system on several vehicles experienced false-positive and miss-detections, which resulted in an inconsistent driver warning. This can be annoying and could result in the driver disabling the system due to the false alerts.”

With nearly three-quarters of 2014 vehicles offering blind-spot detection and 50 percent offering lane-departure warning as options, its key that drivers are able to get the most from these systems. AAA’s tests found these systems are a great asset to motorists, but there is a learning curve.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has also provided an assessment of lane-departure warning systems, along with six other advanced technologies. Conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology AgeLab, the study rates not only the potential for lane-departure systems to reduce crash fatalities but also rates how the advanced driver technology has actually performed based on the limited data currently available. Findings appear in the August 2014 report Evaluating Technologies Relevant to the Enhancement of Driver Safety. Motorists can view more research, information and advice at www.AAAFoundation.org.

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