Limitations of Driver Assistance Technologies

While new driver assistance technologies like blind spot monitoring or lane departure warning systems can improve driving safety and potentially reduce the risk of a car accident, the technologies have some blind spots themselves. AAA tested these systems to determine their performance and found several flaws. The problems included delayed warnings and failing to track lanes.

As many as three-quarters of new vehicles offer blind spot detection, and half offer lane departure warning systems. These systems are potentially useful and lifesaving, but if they don’t work or are not understood by drivers, they will fail to meet their potential.

Blind spot warning systems had issues tracking fast moving vehicles. They frequently issued warnings too late to avoid problems. The performance varied between models. Some vehicles only issued warnings about blind spots when vehicles were well within the blind spots.  Motorcycles were also detected by blind spot monitoring 26% later.

Lane warning systems often failed to work, especially in construction zones. Worn road markers also contributed to the systems losing track of the lanes. Areas without clearly marked lanes like intersections confused the systems as well.

The large numbers of alerts can be confusing. Drivers may mistake one type of driver assistance warning for another, or become frustrated by false positives and disable the warnings entirely.

For more information, call Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Galfand Berger at 800-222-8792 or contact us online.  We represent victims injured in car accidents throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.