Similar to GM’s Super Cruise system, Ford will debut its hands-free Active Drive Assist system in … [+]
A recent Consumer Reports analysis determined that if included with every new vehicle off the assembly line, advanced driver-assist systems could save over 20,000 lives each year.
Not exactly contradicting that conclusion but raising concerns on the technology’s effectiveness to some extent is another report coming from the AAA in Aurora, IL. Their research found that, over the course of 4,000 test miles in real world driving the most sophisticated “active driving assistance” systems were far from being 100 percent reliable, experiencing some kind of glitch, on average, every eight miles.
The AAA tested vehicles equipped with what’s known as Level 2 automation, which is as close to self-driving as it gets right now. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Level 2 is defined as combining automated functions, including vehicle acceleration, braking, and steering, but requires a motorist to remain engaged with the task of driving and monitor the environment at all times.
Systems evaluated include General Motors’ Super Cruise, which is so far the only true hands-free system on the market (albeit limited to driving on limited-access highways), along with BMW’s Active Driving Assistant Professional, Ford’s Co-Pilot360, Kia’s Highway Driving Assistant, and Subaru’s EyeSight technology.
These packages essentially combine adaptive cruise control that maintains a set speed and distance from traffic in a vehicle’s path with automatic emergency braking systems, and lane departure/centering technology to help keep the vehicle between roadway lane markers.
The study found that such systems have a tendency to disengage with little warning, immediately handing control back to a driver who may or may not be prepared to react quickly enough to avoid a collision. Generally, this will happen if the driver takes his or her hands off the steering wheel for all but a brief period, or in the case of GM’s Super Cruise, if a camera determines the motorist isn’t paying sufficient attention to the road ahead. It can also occur for what may seem like random causes.
“AAA has repeatedly found that active driving assistance systems do not perform consistently, especially in real-word scenarios,” says AAA spokesperson Molly Hart. “Manufacturers need to work toward more dependable technology, including improving lane keeping assistance and providing more adequate alerts.”
While adaptive cruise control systems were deemed to work well, overall, the study determined that on public roadways, nearly three-quarters of errors recorded involved a vehicle’s lane departure warning/centering system. Researchers reported problems with the systems not keeping the vehicles sufficiently centered within their lanes and coming too close for comfort to other vehicles or guardrails. Much of this can be attributed to the cameras used to monitor the road not being able to pick up faded lane markers, or when the sun causes excessive glare.
In closed course testing, the systems generally worked as expected, but seemed stymied when approaching a simulated disabled car in the vehicle’s path. In this test, a collision occurred 66 percent of the time with an average impact speed at 25 mph.
What’s more, these are not the only advanced safety systems found to be lacking, An earlier AAA test of four midsize sedans found that auto-braking systems with pedestrian detection were judged to perform inconsistently, especially after dark when 75 percent of pedestrian fatalities are said to occur. Overall, the systems in four sedans were found to be only 40 percent effective, and most failed altogether at speeds of 30 mph or higher.
“Active driving assistance systems are designed to assist the driver and help make the roads safer, but the fact is, these systems are in the early stages of their development,” Hart explains. “With the number of issues we experienced in testing, it is unclear how these systems enhance the driving experience in their current form.”
You can read the full report here.
