Research conducted by AAA has discovered drawbacks in some of the new electronic safety enhancements found in new vehicles, systems which alert drivers to a potential crash, adjust the vehicle’s pace to maintain a pre-set speed, and brake independently to avoid a collision.

“Advanced driver assistance systems do offer significant opportunities to reduce collisions, improve traffic flow and enhance driver convenience,” said Tracy Noble, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “But we’re concerned that motorists may put too much faith in technology and not enough focus on the road.”

AAA’s research found that the assumptive gap poses a risk for distracted drivers. Although the adaptive cruise control and autonomous braking systems performed as described in the owner’s manuals, motorists unfamiliar with these devices may not be prepared for instances when the technology does not engage.

During test-track simulations conducted by the Automotive Research Center of the Auto Club of Southern California, researchers found that:

· Adaptive cruise control systems performed best when following more closely than AAA’s recommended three-second rule.

· Tracking a vehicle at highway speeds while navigating a mild curve was unexpectedly difficult, but improved when following distance was reduced.

· Autonomous braking systems did not always recognize obstacles, provide a warning signal or engage the brakes to slow or stop the vehicle.

· The ability to recognize obstacles varied between vehicles. Systems may not recognize or react to motorcycles, stopped vehicles, traffic cones or other obstructions.

“Technology is not a substitute for an alert, engaged driver,” said Noble. “And, of course, automakers have noted system limitations in owner’s manuals, but those are books most of us never read.”

Television commercials typically highlight vehicle capabilities without any indication of system limitations, and that input is the primary source of motorist knowledge about what these systems can do. AAA suggests safety gaps could be reduced if:

Automakers enhance communication to make clear and obvious the limitations of these systems.

Motorists become thoroughly familiar with all the technology in their car including advanced driver assistance systems before operating the vehicle. [TLS]